The College has updated its immigration enforcement protocols to clarify procedures, provide more detail on available resources, and reaffirm its commitment to protecting all community members.
Dear Oxy Community,
Today, we share two important developments that directly support our educational mission and reaffirm our commitment to every member of our community.
In April 2025, Occidental was among the early signatories to a legal brief submitted in the case of AAUP v. Rubio. We asserted that the federal government’s targeting of international students for deportation and visa revocation, based on their perceived political views, would chill free expression and discourage international student enrollment. On Tuesday, a federal court ruled that the challenged policy indeed violates the First Amendment.
We are encouraged by this development, but know that there is much more work ahead. This week, we have updated our Protocols on Potential Immigration Enforcement Actions to clarify how we will keep community members informed about potential enforcement activities on campus.
To the fullest extent consistent with state* and federal law, if we have verified information about immigration enforcement actions on campus, we will send timely updates to all students, staff, and faculty. These notices will highlight key information from the updated protocols and remind community members of their rights and responsibilities. As added this week, notices will also include the date, time, and location of the enforcement action and a link to relevant resources. Notices may be distributed by email or other channels, and when appropriate we may use the OxyAlert system to emphasize a notice.
We updated our protocols to provide more detail for how we will support our community through these immigration changes. For example, we have added that our support for an undocumented student who is detained may include, but is not limited to, “assistance with retaining any eligibility for financial aid, fellowship stipends, funding for research or other educational projects, [and] housing stipends or services.”
We encourage you to learn about your rights and responsibilities in the midst of increased immigration enforcement. You can also find a list of community resources for legal and other support services on the College’s website.
As we continually evaluate the shifting policy landscape, the Senior Leadership team will continue to offer support and education as we strive to achieve our mission. Our commitment to a non-discriminatory environment with equal protections for every member of our community remains resolute.
Sincerely,
Tom
* Including California Education Code Section 66093.3 (as amended by recent Senate Bill 98)