April
8, 2016
Dear
[Career Center Director],
I
left you a voice mail yesterday regarding the career fair. As I mentioned, I
wanted to write an email to you elaborating some of the dynamics that occurred
yesterday. I am a Sociology professor and also a long-time
advisor for the student club STAND, which supports and advocates for
undocumented students and students in mixed immigration status families. Students
protested the Border Patrol at the career fair. I would like to offer my
perspective on the developments of the day’s events. Most importantly, my hope
in writing this detailed account is that we can work together on finding some
solutions and collaborating. The Career Center is so important to the students’
current and future journey!
The Events
I arrived
to campus yesterday at almost 11am, after 2 hours of volunteer work in our
community that morning. My first view on campus was a Border Patrol SUV parked
in Cesar Chavez drop-off circle next to the student union. There were also
three police cars parked along the circular drop off area. My heart froze
because I immediately became concerned for our students’ safety and wellbeing.
I drove around the cars twice but there was no one inside.
When
I parked in the parking garage, I texted Julio (STAND president) and let him know what I saw, ask where he was and if he
(and others) were okay, and let him know that I was calling the campus police
to find out what was going on. Later, I found out he was in class when I texted
him. I called to the campus police and headed to my building (SBSB). (From 11am
to 1pm, I had several meetings in the capacity of the graduate coordinator
along with meeting about some graduate student issues.)
Once
I crossed over the bridge, I saw an A-frame advertising the career fair. I
realized (and texted Julio) that Border Patrol and law enforcement agencies
were likely on campus for this event. Sergeant Tim from campus police called me
back to confirm that their presence on campus was for a career fair.
I
then received messages from Julio saying that he went to check on the career
fair and that Border Patrol (along with many other law enforcement agencies)
were there in full uniform, with dogs, and all in a row. Julio reported to me
via text how upsetting it was to have Border Patrol in his learning and work
space. He gathered students to assemble an impromptu protest to let Border
Patrol know their practices in our community were unjust and detrimental. He
and some other students made signs and walked over to the career fair. Based on
the accounts from the staff members and faculty members who were present as observers/allies, the students were
clear about their message and non-violent. They held signs and chanted.
Note:
The allies/observers took numerous photos and video as the events transpired, which
is now a commonplace practice, in case anything escalated at the career fair. We
know that protest events on college campuses can result in students being the
victims of excessive use of force (e.g., Kent State in 1970 during a protest
against the Vietnam War and UC Davis in 2011 during an on-campus Occupy
movement protest).
Major Concerns
This
brings me to the concern I have with how Border Patrol responded to our
students. As seen in the photograph attached in this email, the Border Patrol
agent began filming and taking photographs of those protesting. As a professor,
I believe the students have a right to voice their opinion and to do so in the
relative safety of their own university. However, the Border Patrol officer’s response
of taking photographs of protesters was quite an intimidating tactic, given
some of those protesting were undocumented students. Major questions I have
are:
-
What happened to
the photographs and video footage?
-
What will Border
Patrol do with them?
-
Who was there
from CSUSM to communicate with the Border Patrol as to appropriate behavior
when interacting with students on campus, even those who are protesting their
agencies?
Given
the “Black Lives Matter” and the “Not One More Deportation” national social
movements, the university and units on campus must realize that we cannot
operate in the same way as before. Many of our students are involved in social
justice movements outside of campus. I am proud of the social change that many
of our students have implemented on our very campus.
Additionally,
we have particular circumstances in our region. Border Patrol and Homeland
Security (ICE) are patrolling the neighborhoods in our communities. We have
record numbers of deportations in our region and nationally. At San Marcos
Elementary school, parental deportation is no longer a crisis but a weekly
occurrence. Additionally, educational stakeholders and families have reported
to me the Border Patrol presence at school drop off and pick up times in our
region. It is a really scary situation for our students. Research shows that
interactions immigration enforcement, deportation, and detention have powerful
and immediate negative effects on mental health. The visceral fear and trauma of seeing Border Patrol on our campus by
our students cannot be underestimated.
I
can guess that this reactions from students was unanticipated by the career
fair organizers. So, this is why I hope we can work together to come to a
better understanding of students’ experiences and perhaps put some protocols in
place to make the career fair the meaningful experience it was mean to be for all students. I would like to offer
these ideas consider as a starting point:
- • Where law enforcement agencies choose to park has a
chilling effect on students. Recommendation: Requiring them to park with all the other visitors to campus.
- • Law enforcement taking photographs and filming of
students exercising their right to respond to injustices perpetuated by these
agencies. Recommendation: Protocols about student engagement for career
fairs by law enforcement agencies and Homeland Security entities.
Conclusion
Finally, the issue of students’ voice and protest at
the career fair is more than the issue of immigration and law enforcement. Imagine
that the environmental student club protested the Monsato representatives on
campus for a career fair. How does the Career Center interact with social
justice-oriented student clubs on campus? What protocols and training are in
place to handle conflict at career fairs (or other campus events)? What
protections do our students have in voicing their outrage and pain?
Our university vision states, “Our curriculum will emphasize a strong foundation in the
liberal arts and sciences while it provides the knowledge, skills, competencies
and experiences needed in a global society experiencing accelerated
technological, social, and environmental change.” We need to account that all of our
students are able to identify unfair practices occurring in our region and
abroad, and then they link them to agencies or entities that are carrying out
these injustices.
The
CSUSM values “Intellectual
Engagement” which is defined as “learning,
teaching, discovery, and application of knowledge.” I believe our job is to empower students to develop
their critical thinking skills so that they will be well-equipped to improve our
world for future generations. Yesterday was a compelling example of students’
critical thinking and a social justice response to inequality. However,
non-campus entities seemingly tried to intimidate students as they exercised
their voice. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a lack of CSUSM leadership at
the event (from the career fair organizers present and administrators who
arrived) to advocate directly on
behalf of our students to the guests who were engaged in the intimidation. The
students report not being supported but rather the focus was on the protection
of the career fair event. The support felt by students
was from a couple of staff members and a faculty member who the students
explicitly asked to act as observers, in case anything went wrong.
As Julio and I concluded yesterday, the career fair
and protest happened. It is over. However, we both hope that we can collaborate
with the Career Center and other campus entities to discuss the concerns
presented here in this email. In particular, we hope that we can establish
clear guidelines and protocols that benefit and support our students for future
campus events.
Thank you for your consideration,
Marisol
Clark-Ibáñez
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UPDATES
Monday, April 11, 2016
Conversations and investigations are happening here at CSUSM. For example, faculty at CSUSM are discussing the process to become a sanctuary space for undocumented students. Thoughtful planning and consideration of social justice concerns are required for all campus events. It also speaks to the need for institutionalizing ally training and professional development opportunities across campus related to undocumented students.
Additionally, over the weekend I have had more time to think about the issue. Border Patrol and ICE don't just cause alarm for undocumented students, but also for the many students staff, visitors, school children visiting, and faculty who have experienced extraordinary surveillance and enforcement efforts in their communities along with deportation of family members and friends. In North County San Diego, this is likely a concern for many of our campus community members.
