If U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Comes to Campus
This FAQ is not legal advice, but guiding principles designed to ensure CSUCI faculty and staff understand their rights and responsibilities when interacting with immigration enforcement officers while protecting the privacy and safety of our campus community. Contact the for assistance if you have further questions or concerns.
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No.CSUCI cannot prohibit federal immigration enforcement officers from coming on campus to enforce federal law. However, you must alert the that an immigration enforcement officer is present on campus.
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CSUCIis required to provide access for federal immigration officers to a restricted-access building if the officer(s) provide a valid judicial warrant.
If the immigration enforcement officer has a valid judicial warrant, then the answer is yes. If the officer does not have a valid judicial warrant, then the answer is no.Please follow the steps below:
- Ask the officer for their name, identification number, and agency affiliation.
- Inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but must consult University administration. Contact the and they will help determine the appropriate next steps.
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No. As a CSUCIemployee, per federal privacy laws, you must maintain the confidentiality of personal and personally identifiable information, including student records.
The university generally requires immigration enforcement officers to produce a valid subpoena authorizing the disclosure of such records. Federal officers typically have no greater access to university records than any member of the public unless they present a valid subpoena. Guidelines about the confidentiality of student records can be found on the Registration and Records website.
If you are asked for student personal information by an individual who identified themselves as a federal immigration officer, regardless of whether they present a subpoena, inform the officer that you need to contact University administration and immediately contact the for further guidance.
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If I am teaching in my classroom, am I obligated to allow immigration enforcement officers to enter?
Generally,ICE can only require you to allow entry to these spaces with a specific type of warrant. Should this occur, please follow the steps below:
- Ask the officer for their name, identification number, and agency affiliation.
- Inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but must consult University administration. Contact the and they will help determine the appropriate next steps.
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No. CSUCI cannot prohibit federal immigration enforcement officers from coming on campus to enforce federal law. However, you must alert the that an immigration enforcement officer is present on campus.
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It depends. If the immigration enforcement officer has a certain kind of warrant, then the answer is yes. But, if the immigration enforcement officer does not have that kind of warrant, the answer is no. Please follow the steps below:
- Ask the officer for their name, identification number, and agency affiliation.
- Inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but must consult University administration. Contact the for further guidance.
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Generally, yes. A residential hall room is considered a non-piblucarea and cannot be legally accessed by immigration enforcement officers without a valid criminal warrant or the voluntary consent of the occupant. A student generally need not allow entry to any law enforcement officer who is not in possession of a criminal warrant, regardless of what that officer might say.
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Personally identifiable educational and university health records are protected by various privacy laws, including the Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA). As a university employee, you must maintain the confidentiality of these records. If you receive a request for personally identifiable information or documents, or if a federal immigration enforcement officer gives you a warrant or subpoena seeking such records, before providing any information, you should confirm that you are authorized to provide access to the specified records or information. Ask the officer for their name, identification number, and agency affiliation; ask for a copy of any warrant or subpoena presented; inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but need to contact the to properly assist.
Anticipated Supreme Court Decision onDACA
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DACArecipients should seek qualified legal counsel to receive individualized legal advice about their case, including whether they should renew theirDACAand whether they are eligible for a more permanent form of relief. For more help contact BrandonLangford, Coordinator of Inclusive Student Services, at brandon.langford@csuci.edu. WhileUSCISrecommends thatDACArecipients submit their renewal requests 120 to 150 days before expiration,USCISis accepting and eventually adjudicating renewals submitted within 365 days before expiration.
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Sometime between April and June of 2025, the Supreme Court will issue a decision on whether the administration can legally endDACA. If the Supreme Court allows the administration to endDACA, it is unknown how that rescission will take place.
The worst potential outcome is that the administration will deny all pending applications and retract all existing grants ofDACA. Another scenario is that the administration will deny all pending applications but allow existing grants ofDACAto gradually expire. The best scenario is that the administration will process allDACArenewal requests pending on the date of the decision and allow existing grants to gradually expire. Thus, in certain cases it may be beneficial forDACArecipients to submit their renewal application in case the administration adjudicates all pending applications.
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DACArecipients should educate themselves and explore alternatives to employment in the caseDACAexpires. These options include: exploring the feasibility of transitioning their current position to an independent contractor position, starting a small business, and/or operating as independent contractor generally.
These options do not require an employment authorization document. For more information on these options, check out on Working for Yourself and 5 Tips to Get Started as an Independent Contractor.
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Please visit the page of this website or the main campus Financial Aid page to learn for more information about funding options for CSUCIDolphins. Contact Brandon Langfordat brandon.langford@csuci.edu for more opportunities of engagement and cost savings tips.
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REALID is a federal law that requires states to verify the citizenship or immigration status of their residents before issuing adriver’s license or identification for certain federal purposes. On May 7, 2025, non-REALID forms of identification will no longer be accepted at federal buildings or for domestic flights. As always, documents issued by foreign governments, such as passports and the Mexican Matricula, are acceptable forms of identification to fly on domestic flights and will remain so.REALID-compliant identification cannot be issued to undocumented immigrants but can be issued toDACArecipients. TheseREALID identification cards expire at the same time aDACArecipient’s deferred action expires and must be renewed once an individual successfully obtains theirDACArenewal. For more information regardingREALID, please see National Immigration Law Center resources, TheREALID Act: Questions and Answers and Basic Facts AboutREALID. Illinois issues temporary visitor’s driver’s license (TVDL) for undocumented immigrants. Temporary visitor’s licenses are for driver’s ineligible for Social Security number who do not have proof of authorized presence. Applicants must present an unexpired passport or consular ID.TVDLs are notREALID complaint.
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Where can I find resources that can answer other questions I might have or connect me with services?
Links to a wide range of information and resources can be found on theCSUCIUndocumented Student Page.
General Questions
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On the online application complete the citizenship portion as it best describes your current immigration status. Then proceed to answer the Non-citizen Status prompts.
Be advised that you will need to meet the criteria under for in state tuition for undocumented students.
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Please view the legislation here: .
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No.
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TheITIN(Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is a tax processing number, issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), for certain resident and non-resident aliens, their spouses, and their dependents. It’s a nine-digit number beginning with the number “9” and is formatted like aSSN(example: 9XX-7X-XXXX). For more information visit theIRSwebsite.
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Undocumented students are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). However, students that are U.S. citizens whose parents are undocumented are eligible to complete theFAFSAas long as parents file income taxes with anITIN.
Please visit the page of this website or the main campus Financial Aid page to learn for more information about funding options for CSUCIDolphins. Contact Brandon Langfordat brandon.langford@csuci.edu for more opportunities of engagement and cost savings tips.
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No, undocumented students withDACA are still undocumented and are not eligible to receive federal aid and should not complete theFAFSA.
Please visit the page of this website or the main campus Financial Aid page to learn for more information about funding options for CSUCIDolphins. Contact Brandon Langfordat brandon.langford@csuci.edu for more opportunities of engagement and cost savings tips.
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On the FAFSA form, if the parent is completing their own section and doesn't have an SSN, the SSN will be blank and disabled. If the parent has an ITIN, they should add it to the FAFSA form in the ITIN field only. If they don't have an ITIN, they should leave that question blank.
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Undocumented students are eligible for scholarships as long as they meet the scholarship criteria. Many CSUCI scholarships are awarded based only on academic merit or talent. CSUCI scholarships can be identified by utilizing the CI Scholarships tool.
In addition, there are many private organizations that award scholarships based upon a variety of criteria. Refer to of undocumented-friendly resources.
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Yes, in order to satisfy the requirements of for in-state tuition, students must submit official high school transcripts to show proof of being in a California school for at least three years.
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No, students are not required to register for a specific amount of classes. However, students will need to understand that it may take a little longer to complete a degree if they take less than 12 credits a semester. In addition, some scholarships may have a requirement of being a full-time student.
A full time student must be enrolled in at least 12 credits.
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There may be some majors that will require additional licensure and certification requirements. It is important for students to be aware of such requirements prior to declaring a major. Students should consult with Academic Advising for requirements. Currently in the state of California undocumented students are able to take the teacher licensure exams, background checks, and board exams for nursing. Students should consult with the major program advisor.
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Students will need to submit this new information to the Admissions & Recruitment office and Financial Aid office to discuss FAFSAeligibility.
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All currently enrolled students in good standing and University employees are eligible to receive a campus ID card. A card fee may apply.