By Nick Escalada

EDIT: Parts of this story were edited for clarity.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a bureaucracy that has gone largely undiscussed in the public sphere until the start of Donald Trump’s second presidential term. Over the past year, the agency has been hard at work delivering on the president’s promise of deporting undocumented immigrants in the United States en masse.

This initiative has sparked an unprecedented level of controversy and outrage across the nation, with individuals seen unwillingly collected by masked agents in unmarked vehicles. Many have likened this to kidnapping, and major cities like Los Angeles have seen large-scale protests with violent police retaliation.

Rather than strict documentation status, ICE often selects their targets based on whether or not they are Latin American, which appeases Republican voter concerns on southern border security. With a largely LA-native student body and a rapidly growing Latino population of nearly 30% (according to IPEDS in fall 2024), Cal Poly Humboldt finds itself in a vulnerable position.

Peyton Leone, the communications and research manager at Centro del Pueblo — an organization dedicated to supporting Latiné and Indigenous migrants in Humboldt County — shared how the resource center keeps track of ICE raids for those concerned in the area.

“We have responders that are ready to take a call and then others that are willing to investigate anything that’s happening,” Leone said. “Anytime that ICE is up here, we want to know about it, we want to have it documented and we want to make sure that everyone’s aware.” 

According to Centro del Pueblo, two incidents in Humboldt have been confirmed as visits from ICE this year, with another recent report under review. Unidentified agents appeared at a local business asking for an employee, who they were unable to find. Agents were also seen at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility requesting to pick up a detained person.

“The Latino community in Humboldt has been here for a long time. There’s folks that have been here for 40 years and have generations up in Humboldt,” Leone said. “Right now, we’re just constantly making sure that folks are having their needs met.”

Although ICE has not yet been reported on campus, potential targets at the university include F-1 student visa holders and students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. Leone shared federal and local legislation that protects non-citizen students and their families from deportation.

“There is a sanctuary law in Humboldt,” Leone said. “It’s called Measure K or Humboldt Sanctuary Law, and that pretty much prevents local law enforcement and ICE from communicating outside of circumstances where there’s things like murder, human trafficking or serious felonies.”

A component of Measure K allows parents detained by ICE to sign an affidavit that dictates where their children are sent. Beyond their preventative resources, Centro del Pueblo offers contingency plans in cases where deportation is unavoidable.

“What we do at Centro del Pueblo is connect families with a notary that can, at a very low price, make sure that families do have that plan in place,” Leone said. “Otherwise, children could be sent to different parts of the state, like Child Protective Services or different organizations that take people’s kids. We don’t want any family separated in Humboldt.”

Even if you’re unable to receive aid from external groups, the best way to prepare for an encounter with ICE is to know your rights. Federal statutes have granted protections to all human beings on U.S. soil since the country’s inception and agents rely on their targets’ legal blind spots to carry out deportations.

“The Constitution applies to everybody living in the United States, regardless of immigration status,” Leone said. “You have the right to remain silent; that’s your First Amendment. Fourth Amendment […] you don’t have to let the police search you or your house without a warrant. Those are the things that we try to encourage people to remember.”

For a comprehensive list of immigration-related protections, request a “red card” from Centro del Pueblo or directly from the Immigration Legal Resource Center’s website. If you spot suspicious activity that may involve ICE or are being pursued by agents, call Centro del Pueblo’s Rapid Response hotline at 707-200-8091.

Nick is the News Editor at The Lumberjack, and studies wildlife and journalism with the goal of spreading his love of nature through media. A famous recluse, he is rarely seen at social functions, but you might dig him up in an SAC lounge beanbag chair. Chat with him at ne53@humboldt.edu!