On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump signed the executive order “Protecting the American People Against Invasion.” This sent immigrant communities into the horrific memories of the first Trump administration’s deportation camps.
Crying children ripped from their parents, forced to sleep in cages under silver metallic mylar blankets. Parents living in hellish conditions worsened under the advance of the COVID-19 pandemic. The memories are burned into our minds as we enter another round of survival under the Trump administration.
Human people are slandered and villainized for simply pursuing a better life. A common step in that pursuit is seeking higher education. With the current presidential administration, something as simple as going to school is a danger to undocumented individuals across the nation. Though the language of the order is vague enough to include all undocumented individuals, there has been a stress on Hispanic and Latino communities.
Las Positas College was awarded a Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution grant from the United States Department of Education, which it carried for years. That ended in 2020. Currently the campus Dream Center is closed, leaving a gaping hole in resources for students currently being targeted due to their migration status. In light of the current presidential administration, there has been concern on whether LPC will stand on behalf of its immigrant and Latino students.
At the LPC town meeting on Feb. 18, President Dyrell Foster announced the updated Dream Center website. At the top of the page is a letter from the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District confirming the district’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive learning environment for all its students. The letter was signed by Foster, Chancellor Ronald Gerhard and Chabot College President Jamal Cooks.
The letter addressed district students directly, reaffirming that although the federal administration seeks to use scare tactics to threaten immigrants, they do not have unlimited power on our campuses.
“California community colleges are bound by state laws that prohibit using resources to aid federal immigration enforcement, except as explicitly required by state or federal law,” the letter said.
The letter laid out the protocol for what students and faculty should do if immigration enforcement agents come to campus. CLPCCD promised that no personal information will be given to immigration officers without a warrant. Nor will the college provide any information regarding the status of any LPC student, faculty or staff member’s citizenship.
In the event that immigration officers come to campus, they will be directed to the president’s office before any information about faculty or students can be given. Should any LPC students, faculty or staff members be taken into custody, their emergency contacts will be notified.
Additional resources have been provided on the website to aid the LPC community including a link to findyourally.com. Find Your Ally is a program that was created to provide legal assistance with immigration for students in higher education. This program was created by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the Foundation for California Community Colleges.
Despite the efforts of the current presidential administration, help is out there. It is still possible to pursue a future and further your education. America is supposed to be the land of the free, a land of opportunity, and the state of California is upholding that standard.
Linked to the website is the California Dream Act application, which helps students without permanent legal status in the U.S. by providing financial aid to further their education. The state of California specified that the application is safe to use for those lacking permanent legal status. None of the information given in the application will be used against the student or families applying for aid.
While the Dream Center remains closed, it is set to open later in the spring semester after a relocation to the 2400 building. In the meantime, help is still available. A new Student Support Center was recently established in building 1600, room 1642. This is available to help students apply to the California Dream Act. The deadline to apply for state financial aid has been extended to April 2.
LPC has said time and time again that it is a community of people. That the campus is a safe space available to everyone no matter your origins. Now that is being put to the test as members of the community are being threatened.
The response is not just empty promises behind a faceless letter that distances itself from the community. No — LPC is stepping up and providing students with confidential support for immigration issues from members right here on campus. Teachers and faculty within the LPC community are showing up to support students and show that they truly are not alone.
While hate may persist, LPC maintains its campus as a place for students to learn and thrive.
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TOP PHOTO: Some are wondering, worried even, whether Las Positas will continue its support of students without current legal immigration status. (Image courtesy of Envato Elements)
Mel Llamas is the Opinions Editor for The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @MM_Llamas
