On April 9, several academic departments distributed emails warning community members about visits from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and information on what to do if officers come to campus. Across the nation, ICE agents have reportedly detained at least four college students who are currently being held in Louisiana and Texas, and almost 300 international students have had their visas revoked.
The Department of Comparative Literature sent an email on Wednesday addressed to “Friends, Colleagues and Students.” The email addressed “questions that have been going around regarding your rights on Princeton’s campus.”
The email acknowledged that campus is a public space, and “it is not within our rights to deny access to anyone to those parts of the campus.”
“It is important to note, though, that classrooms and offices are private spaces and intruders may be denied access to those spaces unless they have a legal warrant permitting access,” the email continued.
Another email sent by the Department of African American Studies, titled “If ICE Officers Come to Campus,” included key phrases, such as “I’m not authorized to let officers into University buildings,” and “Am I being detained? May I leave?” It also included tips, as well as answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ).
On President Trump’s second day in office, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded protections for “sensitive areas” such as schools and places of worship against ICE raids. DHS Secretary Benjamin Huffman wrote in a statement, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,”
In February, police activity on Witherspoon Street led to false reports of an ICE raid, and in July 2024 under the Biden administration, ICE arrested one unlawfully present non-citizen in Princeton.
Despite the Trump administration’s rhetoric toward immigrants and international scholars, as well as possible cuts to federal funding, the town of Princeton has expressed that its commitment to supporting immigrants “remains as strong as ever today.”
Kristin Nagy ’27, co-leader of Students for Prison Education, Abolition and Reform’s (SPEAR) Immigration Committee, wrote to The Daily Princetonian that many activist groups at the University have also expressed an intent to support non-citizen students.
“Activist groups on campus have been forced to make difficult calls about who to invite to our events, knowing that our friends who are non-citizens now may be kidnapped for standing up for justice,” Nagy wrote.
Nagy also shared that the group is imploring “the University to expand its commitment to protecting international students and scholars from unjust persecution,” which includes “protecting and expanding private spaces on campus where ICE cannot enter and instituting robust and widespread trainings to teach all community members their rights and how to protect one another.”
Currently, the University’s Davis International Center is taking multiple measures to support non-citizen students. These include monitoring international student status records stored via the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and hosting immigration attorney sessions. Students in colleges across the country have said that their SEVIS records have been terminated, thus making their visas ineligible for continued study in the United States.
Federally, New Jersey representatives in Congress are fighting for further protections of non-citizen and international scholars.
“Every person in this country, regardless of immigration status, has rights under the Constitution. Our immigrant community and our international students are facing unprecedented challenges with federal overreach and a Republican majority in the House that is doubling down on cruelty,” Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) wrote in a statement to the ‘Prince.’
“Our educational institutions have a moral obligation to its students to protect them, refuse to cooperate with ICE’s callous methods, and serve as a firewall against this gross abuse of power. In Congress, I’m pushing to pass permanent protections for Dreamers, expand access to legal services, and block funding for ICE’s most abusive tactics,” Coleman wrote.
“To every student wondering what you can do: learn your rights, support one another, demand accountability from institutions — and never forget that your presence here is valid, your safety matters, and your voice is powerful,” she added.
Nagy also offered support on behalf of SPEAR to any students or community members who are feeling uncertain or afraid.
“We encourage all community members to educate themselves about their rights through local community organizations,” she said. “Anybody who sees ICE on campus or in the Princeton community should call Resistencia en Accion’s ICE hotline, 640-466-2386.”
Sena Chang is a senior News writer for the ‘Prince.’ She typically covers campus and community activism, the state of higher education, and alumni news.
Luke Grippo is a senior News writer and Features contributor for the ‘Prince.’ He is from South Jersey and usually covers administrative issues, including Undergraduate Student Government, the Council of the Princeton University Community, and institutional legacy.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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