It was a calm, average day at Las Positas College. Yet, several student leaders sought to disrupt the campus in a bold way. Abruptly, at 1:30 p.m., they began leaving their classes, some mid-lecture, as they met near the 2100 building at Las Positas College. They passed around large signs and banners, some with cheeky and clever phrases.
“I like ICE in my horchata, not in schools,” one read. Another said, “My dad works harder than your ‘president.’”
The group walked through campus in an organized fashion, picking up bystanders, which included students and faculty, to join them, before meeting at the Las Positas College sign, just in front of the 1600 building, where several student speakers presented their prepared speeches.
In protest to the Trump Administration’s controversial immigration policies, several students officers from Puente — the cohort-based program and club at several community colleges statewide — organized a school-wide walkout.
Hours after his inauguration, on Jan. 20, Donald Trump signed several executive orders, marking the beginning of his aggressive and controversial immigration agenda, which he repeatedly promised on his campaign trail. In addition to declaring a crisis at the southern border, the Trump Administration has also enacted an archaic, wartime law —which allows it to deport Venezuelans with alleged ties to gangs—, limited asylum petitions and proposed an end to birthright citizenship for those with undocumented parents.
Even though several of his initiatives have been deemed unconstitutional, Trump and his allies show no signs of stopping, with several international students’ visas being revoked, including those from several Bay Area community colleges. However, in late April, the federal government announced that “hundreds, and possibly thousands” of international students’ visas were being restored at the orders of judges nationwide.
Although some of these moves are being challenged in federal courts nationwide, fear still persists, particularly on LPC’s campus. Several student leaders acknowledged the fearful climate in their speeches.
Puente Secretary Brittany Robles Camacho said that despite her concerns as the daughter of immigrants, she felt compelled to “represent everyone that can’t represent themselves out of fear.”
“I am here to stand up for my community and be on the right side of history,” Camacho said before being applauded.
Several other student leaders spoke against the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at colleges and universities nationwide, while denouncing talks to remove the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) status and grant from Las Positas. At LPC, 31% of students identify as Hispanic or Latino.
In response to these raids rattling immigrant communities across the country, several Puente leaders passed out red cards— wallet-sized informational flyers informing people of their rights in the event they come in contact with federal immigration authorities.
Despite their fears, Puente leaders repeatedly emphasized the walkout was a “peaceful protest,” and they wanted nothing more than for people to be informed and stand up for those around them. Students handed out stickers, conversed with each other and made colorful handprints with acrylic paint on a banner that read “Education, not Deportation.”
However, even with the protest meant to empower students, understandably, fear still rattles the immigrant community at Las Positas. After several attempts to reach out to Puente members and other students affected by the Trump Administration’s policies, no one responded to The Express’s request for an interview.
Alain Olavarrieta, a former DACA recipient and math instructor at LPC, said that he advises against students revealing their immigration statuses at such a volatile time.
“This is not the time to be sharing your status,” Olavarrieta said. “Unless you’re ok with pushing the boundaries. You need folks to say, ‘Hey, look here I am. I am not moving just because some group of racist people want me to.’ ”
Olavarriteta said college officials are “actively discussing” what measures to take to protect undocumented students and those from mixed status families. Although LPC is considered a sanctuary campus,— meaning they do not comply with federal immigration authorities without a court order— the campus is currently building a Dream Center to provide undocumented students and their families with a space space. The center is slated to open in the 2400 building.
Dorian Sanchez, a former LPC student and recent graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara said that it was nice to know LPC is taking steps to protect it’s students in the event immigration authorities arrive at the campus.
“That’s awesome to have Las Postas (College) speak out for its people like that,” Sanchez said. “It feels really scary for a lot of the undocumented migrants we have right now, and I think that having institutions that are here to be safe havens, to have educators stand up for those communities is awesome.”
Despite the steps LPC has taken, many say they feel that there is still more to be done in combatting Trump’s immigration policies, even locally. Felipe Ponce, an Ethnic Studies professor at LPC who has a background in African-American and Chicano studies, notes that many struggles affecting the undocumented community are not new, but have been amplified since before Trump first took office.
“(President) Obama had the opportunity to pass the Dream Act, he had the House (of Representatives), he had the Senate, he had the presidency, twice, and many (undocumented immigrants) are still living in ‘limbo,’ ” Ponce said.
He also stressed the need for ethnic studies courses— which have been at the forefront of the Trump Administration’s initiatives against DEI and Critical Race Theory— and community spaces for undocumented students.
“We can provide more direct services to these vulnerable groups, things like counseling, tutors, support services, places that they can collectively think and relax,” Ponce said. “As (an) Ethnic Studies professor I also would advocate for more culturally relevant classes.”
In contrast to his fear, Ponce noted that he was still hopeful for the state of the country.
“As a father, it is scary to think that my kids could be attacked simply for being born to Latino parents,” Ponce said. “So, yes, I am worried, but I am hopeful that we can learn from our mistakes and educate people about how hate rears its ugly head.”
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TOP PHOTO: Members of LPC’s student body and faculty participate in a campus “walk-out” March 3. Those present held a variety of signage, the one pictured reading “MY DREAMS ARE BIGGER THAN YOUR WALL.” (Photo by Ian Kapsalis/The Express)
Raina Dent is a Staff Writer for The Express. Follow her on X, formally Twitter, @_rainasafiya
