By Kenna Jenkins, December 9, 2025
The Bronco Young Democratic Socialists of America is currently collecting signatures for an open letter to CPP and the California State University Board of Trustees, following the campus community’s pushback to the planned presence of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at a career fair originally scheduled for Sept. 18-19.
A Bronco YDSA member said the language in the initial email announcing the postponement of the career fair, which was sent out Aug. 22, felt dismissive, specifically the phrasing that the presence of border patrol “may be upsetting for some students” and “may cause strong feelings.”
“The turning point was the email they sent out after Border Patrol was scheduled to come to the job fair,” said a representative of Bronco YDSA.
Bronco YDSA’s letter addressed to Iris Levine, CPP’s interim president, and the CSU Board of Trustees has three main demands. The first is that CPP condemn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence on campus, since YDSA acknowledged it can’t legally exclude organizations like U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
The second is that administration be proactive in the monitoring and notification of immigration enforcement, specifically citing California Senate Bill 98, also called the SAFE Act, that requires both K-12 schools and higher education institutions to have plans to notify parents and guardians of students, faculty, administrators and school personnel when immigration enforcement is on campus.
Third, Bronco YDSA demands that alternative forms of instruction be provided when ICE activity is spotted near the community with support of time and resources for students and faculty from the university.
“The response from administration was not handled well at all,” the Bronco YDSA member said. “It really took the larger community getting involved to finally get what (the administration) considered a proper response.”
The Bronco Justice Coalition, Students for Quality Education and the Student Initiative for Justice are three other clubs that have signed the letter alongside the YDSA.
CPP Vice president for Student Affairs Christina M. Gonzales said new information, including a new website, on how the campus will be moving forward with the SAFE Act in mind, will be coming during finals week.
Gonzales also mentioned CPP’s immigration enforcement actions resource page, which provides information on what to do if ICE activity is spotted on campus.
According to an email statement from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, while they respect the expression of opinion and concern the CSU community has regarding immigration activities, they do not have the authority as a public institution to prohibit federal immigration enforcement officers from public parts of the CSU campuses.
The Chancellor’s Office’s statement referred to the office’s resource page, which includes information about legal and mental health resources.
Until the new protocol for immigration enforcement action releases, Gonzales confirmed if campus community members are aware of upcoming or active immigration enforcement activity, they should notify Jason Rodriguez, chief of staff and associate vice president for administrative service, at (909) 869-3019.
If Rodriguez, who reviews and verifies any orders, subpoenas or warrants, cannot be reached, contact the University Police Department through its emergency number (909) 869-3070 or main office number (909) 869-3399. If a student is taken into custody, contact Dean of Students Weston Prisbrey at (909) 869-4424 or wprisbrey@cpp.edu.
Feature image courtesy of Bronco Young Democratic Socialists of America