Fresno State students divided over university’s new ICE activity alert plan
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Fresno State will issue verified campus alerts for confirmed immigration enforcement.
- Alerts will use email, website banners and social posts; texts reserved for emergencies.
- Students split: some cite safety and resource access, others warn of fear and stigma.
Fresno State will alert students and staff if immigration enforcement activity is confirmed on campus, as required under a new California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Students are unsure whether the SAFE Act — which mandates that colleges and universities send alerts when federal immigration enforcement agents are on university property — will ease the campus community’s fears or add to them.
In an email to students and staff, Fresno State president Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, said the university will issue a campus-wide alert sharing the date, time and general location of any confirmed activity, along with a link to resources and support. The university added that it will verify the activity before sending any notification.
“We understand that news related to immigration enforcement — whether or not expected — can feel stressful or uncertain,” Jiménez-Sandoval said in the email. “Fresno State serves a diverse community, and we remain committed to supporting the success and well-being of all students and employees. Our goal is to communicate clearly, act responsibly, and provide assistance to those who need it.”
Citlali Arredondo, a nursing student at Fresno State, said she felt scared and uneasy about the new ICE alerts system.
“As a student, it’s stressful not knowing what might happen or how it could affect people in our campus community,” she said. “I really hope Fresno State will handle notifications in a way that protects students’ safety and doesn’t cause more fear.”
According to Fresno State, notifications will be shared through email, a banner on its website with real-time updates, along with a social media notice.
The university noted it will not use its Bulldog Text Alert system, which is “reserved for emergencies only, such as immediate threats to health or safety.” Immigration enforcement activity on its own will not trigger a text alert, the email said, unless it creates an active safety emergency requiring an urgent response. In those rare cases, the university would follow its standard emergency procedures.
Oliver Esparza, an English and creative writing student , said he believes it’s reasonable for the university to alert the campus about immigration enforcement activity, especially because students can then warn others who may be at risk.
“I know a lot of people who are still stuck in the process of trying to get their citizenship, and with these ICE raids going on, it doesn’t seem fair for them not to know something like this is around,” he said.
Jocelyn Morales, a psychology student , said she understands why some people might not view the alerts positively, noting that many believe school and politics shouldn’t mix. Still, she thinks sending the notifications is ultimately the right move for the Fresno State community.
“I can understand why people might not like the alerts, but I also understand why the university would send them — they care about students’ safety,” she said. “We’ve been seeing a rise in ICE targeting people who aren’t even undocumented, so it puts not only undocumented students at risk, but anyone who might fit that stereotype.”
Jose Gongora, a mechanical engineering student at Fresno State, believes it’s important for the university to send alerts related to immigration enforcement. b
“I know that there are undocumented students that do attend our school, and that would be a resource that would be helpful for them,” he said.
