By Jennifer Flores
As concerns about ICE Raids near the River Forest area rise, Dominican is determined to keep its students safe and protected. Areas such as Cicero, Berwyn, Melrose Park, and Chicago have all faced challenges with aggression from ICE agents. Situations escalated in Franklin Park when ICE agents shot a man after they claimed he tried to run over an officer. This resulted in the death of 38-year-old Silverio Villegas Gonzales.
Many were left unsettled and frightened by the brutal acts of violence executed by ICE agents, leaving communities feeling unsafe.
As of now, there hasn’t been any ICE presence on campus, but Dominican has its policies and procedures in place for good measure. A Sanctuary Campus resolution along with a Front Door Policy procedure has been established since 2017.
Director of Campus Safety, Sasha Santiago, shared that it is a visitor policy that focuses on identifying any law enforcement agency and personnel. It is common for agencies to visit campus by invitation or business-related affairs when students are looking to get into the law enforcement field.
Workers at the Welcome and Information Desk identify the purpose of their visit and are trained to vet and ID any agent that comes through that door. Once verified, they will be escorted by a campus safety officer for the entire visit.
When it comes to ICE Agents, they must present a warrant signed by a judge. Any other warrant will be denied entry. As front-line workers, Campus Safety officers have been properly trained to recognize authorized warrants vs. administrative warrants.
Campus Safety has close ties with the River Forest Police Department, who can assist in dealing with trespassers without business on campus or invalid warrants. Incident and Management Assessment Team worked alongside Schools Resource Officer, Megan Drake, to discuss internal procedures.
Santiago made it clear that River Forest does not aid or cooperate with ICE and instead notifies Campus Safety of possible sightings.
She advises students to also share information on unidentified law enforcement on campus or ICE presence in the surrounding areas. Students can reach Dispatch at 708-524-5999, a line open 24/7.
In case of an emergency raid, campus safety has the ability to notify students via email and text messages.
“While it’s a very tough time and there is a lot to be concerned about, I don’t want folks to feel like they are on their own here on campus” says Santiago.
Dr. Precious Porras, Vice President of the Office of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion also shared that student’s identity are generally protected under Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA). The only information that can be given to any law enforcement is vague enrollment status. Documentation status is not shared or logged into a database.
She reassures that faculty understands the current situation. If students feel unsafe traveling to campus, it would best to notify Yessenia Hernandez, an Assoicate director of the Center for Cultural Liberation.
Jacky Neri Arias, assistant vice president for Hispanic-Serving and Culturally Sustaining Initiatives, acknowledges that “it is not an easy time for higher education right now.” Despite recent budget cuts, many resources will remain in place to serve the community.
Non-Employment-Based Opportunities (NEBO) is a program that helps students regardless of documentation find employment opportunities.
Family Academy is another program that informs families about resources and student support. Families who register and attend five sessions can receive credits to enroll the student in a free summer course. Sessions are available in English and Spanish, now looking to introduce Polish sessions.
Other resources include assistance in filing Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) renewals, legal clinic services that extend to relatives, Wellness Center services for medical and counseling help, and many more that can be found through the CCL.
