Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has issued a flurry of executive orders and decisions directly impacting university and college campuses nationwide. These actions include a rescission of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy limiting immigration enforcement on college campuses, an executive order authorizing the deportation of international students engaged in unlawful pro-Palestinian activism, and an executive order threatening to cut federal funding for institutions that uphold diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives– which has been temporarily blocked by federal judge. In recent weeks, LMU’s administration, faculty, and student body have taken measures to prepare for the impacts of changing federal policy.
On Feb. 10, LMU passed a policy detailing its protocol for visits from law enforcement and immigration officers. The policy asserts that all matters related to an investigation on campus should be handled by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Staff who encounter visiting law enforcement officers are instructed to refer them to DPS. Upon meeting with an officer, DPS protocol is to acquire all names, information, and documentation relevant to the visitor’s agency and investigation, make an independent determination about next steps, and inform members of school administration. DPS policy is to assist and cooperate with law enforcement officials conducting a criminal investigation on campus, even if the officials do not provide a warrant. However, if an immigration status inquiry is presented by a federal agency such as ICE without a warrant, DPS will not disclose records to the officer.
Faculty and student organizations have also been working to prepare the LMU community for new immigration policies. On Tuesday, Feb. 11, LMU’s Latinx Student Union (LSU) held a Know Your Rights workshop. The following week, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, Fiat Justitia, a coalition of multiple social justice-oriented student organizations, held a similar workshop. On Monday, Feb. 24th, Dr. Claudia Sandoval, assistant professor of Political Science and International Relations, hosted a teach-in on immigration, focusing on key policy changes and detailing individual rights.
The teach-in featured presentations from multiple LMU students. Eric Fischer and Daniela Marquez of the class of 2025 spoke about sanctuary cities, discussing the fluid definition of sanctuary cities and the policies that define them.
“There is no clear definition [of a sanctuary city], what it means for a state or local government to adopt sanctuary policies can take on many forms,” explained Marquez. “They can be policies restricting state and local police from making arrests for federal immigration violations or detain individuals on civil immigration warrants.”
In Los Angeles, this includes policies such as the California Values Act, or SB54, which bars state and local police from investigating, interrogating, or arresting individuals for immigration violations. Los Angeles City Council also passed a sanctuary city policy in November 2024 which prohibits information sharing between local police and federal immigration enforcement unless a warrant is provided.
Another set of presenters, Mak Johnson and Max Leonardo of the class of 2025, spoke about immigration detention centers. Johnson and Leonardo emphasized the inhumane conditions faced by detainees, racial prejudice in detention centers, and government officials’ bipartisan support for the maintenance of these facilities. The two also spoke about the perverse nature of private, for-profit detention centers, and the drastic implications of Trump’s proposal to hold undocumented migrants in Guantanamo Bay and foreign prisons.
Despite the difficult subject matter, the presentations were warmly received by the audience, who gave an enthusiastic applause for each speaker. For many individuals, issues of immigration are deeply personal, and recent policy changes may have severe effects on them and their family members. The teach-in provided a space for community members alarmed by new federal policies, offering a detailed overview of national immigration issues and a summary of individual’s legal rights.
Yanira Lemus, director of community legal services at Loyola Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic, discussed the legal rights of individuals in encounters with law enforcement. Lemus emphasized the importance of individuals’ 4th amendment right to refuse home searches without a warrant, and the 5th amendment right to remain silent.
“If ICE officials appear at an individuals’ home, it is important not to open the door,” explained Lemus, adding that it can be difficult to immediately identify ICE officials, as they often wear plain clothing. “Ask the officials to slide their warrant under the door, or place it against a window so you can see it. If you open the door, it can be misinterpreted as an invitation to come in.”
Lemus also offered guidance for individuals stopped by law enforcement in traffic or public spaces, advising them to first ask whether they are being detained or arrested and to leave if they are free to go. Lemus also recommended individuals provide a U.S. state driver’s license if asked for their ID, and not a foreign document.
“If somebody is in fact detained, they have the right to remain silent and speak to a lawyer. It is important also to know when to break that silence,” Lemus said. She explained that an individual who has received legal admission into the U.S., is already in immigration proceedings, or whose safety is compromised in their home country and is seeking asylum, may wish to disclose that information. Lemus concluded by referring the audience to the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, which offers a rapid response hotline through which individuals can report ICE activity, access legal referrals, and verify enforcement actions.
Lastly, Maria Barragan, the director of Undocumented Student Support Services, spoke about how members of the LMU community can support undocumented students. Barragan reaffirmed that all matters related to the investigation of an undocumented student should be handled by DPS, who are qualified to interpret warrants and handle encounters with immigration officials. This means any faculty or students who encounter an immigration or DHS officer should immediately contact DPS and take no other action. She then emphasized the importance of protecting the identities of undocumented students, and recommended that individuals who know an undocumented student in legal peril refer them to her office, which can be reached via email at Maria.barragan@lmu.edu or phone at 310-568-6847.
Under the new administration, concerns about the enforcement of immigration policy on college campuses have become increasingly urgent. On January 20th, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order directing federal agencies to increase deportation efforts. The same day, DHS rescinded a longstanding policy limiting immigration enforcement in “sensitive areas” and “protected locations”, which include college campuses.
The Trump administration has also issued an executive order to prohibit antisemitism in institutions that receive federal funding, citing a definition that considers rhetorical attacks against the state of Israel to be manifestations of antisemitism. The order authorizes the revocation of student visas for international students involved in unlawful antisemitic activity under the IHRA definition. This action could potentially lead to the deportation of pro-Palestinian student activists at any university that receives federal funding, which is the case at almost all major colleges.
Additionally, the White House issued an executive order to eliminate DEI programs in universities, warning that institutions maintaining such initiatives could lose federal funding. The order was since put on hold by a federal judge, but the action underscores a larger issue regarding universities’ ability to maintain their commitment to diversity and inclusion. While President Snyder has reaffirmed LMU’s commitment to protecting its student body and Jesuit values, federal actions could limit the school’s control over such matters.
The university receives a small but meaningful portion of its funding through federal grants. In its most recent public tax form, LMU filed $723,872,616 in total revenue from June of 2022 through May of 2023. Of that total, $26,619,563, or roughly 3.7% came from federal grants. LMU’s federal funding could be at risk if it maintains its DEI initiatives, undocumented student services, and registered student organization status for groups like Students for Justice in Palestine. It remains to be seen whether LMU would be willing to lose federal funding in order to uphold its commitment to social justice, which is regularly touted as one of the school’s core values.
More broadly, the Trump administration’s barrage of executive orders challenge long-held notions of universities as safe havens for progressive values. Recent federal actions could very well signify a shift in public understanding of higher education institutions. For those who feel overwhelmed by the impact of these changes, Leonardo offers a hopeful message:
“Real progress, and how we can actually make change will be on the ground. It’s responsible of us to educate ourselves on the functions and purposes and motives of all of this, but the real progress will be made by spreading the word and protecting your loved ones.”
