Across campus, a firm commitment to supporting UCLA’s immigrant and international communities

Joy, a UCLA student from Canada, hopes to graduate in June with a degree in communication and psychology. But she worries about what the coming weeks and months may bring, with the barrage of executive orders, directives and proposals on immigration coming from the current presidential administration.

“As an international Bruin, the uncertainty surrounding the new policies has made me anxious about my future here,” she said. 

She’s not alone. The recent federal actions have ratcheted up the level of worry among UCLA’s international and undocumented students, who are facing the threat of removal proceedings, visa cancellations and changes to their immigration status.

The issue has come up frequently at Chancellor Julio Frenk’s ongoing UCLA Connects: Listening Exercise events, and it’s one the chancellor says both UCLA and UC systemwide officials have been working around the clock to address.

“In this climate, we want to reaffirm to our immigrant and international Bruins: You are not alone,” Frenk and other UCLA leaders wrote March 12 in a message to campus. “You belong at UCLA You are an essential part of our community, and we remain fully committed to supporting your ability to work, learn, teach and thrive here. We see you, we value you and we will continue to advocate for your rights and well-being.”

What are UCLA and the University of California doing to help?

Ongoing UCLA and UC advocacy efforts, Frenk said, range from working with elected officials to safeguard the rights of potentially impacted students and employees to raising awareness about university-based legal services and support networks.

And UCLA and other campuses have aligned with the UC in affirming their commitment to provide a supportive environment for undocumented members of the UC community (PDF).

That support includes assurances — supported by federal law, the state constitution and statutes, and UCLA privacy protections — that the campus will not release details on the immigration status of its domestic students or any related information from confidential student records without a judicial warrant, subpoena or court order. The UC guidance also stipulates that UC police departments, including UCLA’s, won’t divert resources from their mission of maintaining a safe and secure environment in support of the university’s research, education and public service mission to enforce federal immigration laws, unless legally required to do so.

Keeping the UCLA community informed about changes in federal policy and the campus’s response through clear and consistent communications is vital to raising awareness and easing the climate of fear and anxiety, the chancellor has stressed. UCLA has launched a federal updates webpage to complement the UC’s updates page on federal policies, both of which provide news on the shifting federal landscape, resources and guidance, including advice on how UCLA community members can respond if ICE officials come to campus and ways to access legal assistance, mental health counseling and other resources.

On campus: Assistance for undocumented Bruins

UCLA has implemented a variety of efforts — across legal, academic and emotional support avenues — to assist undocumented community members who may be at risk due to new immigration policies.     

And perhaps the biggest challenge — beyond the prospect of federal agents arriving on campus — is engendering a sense of security and tamping down anxiety so that students can concentrate properly on their studies.

It’s a tall order, especially for Bruins who may be skittish about the kinds of activities many of us take for granted, like going to the supermarket or hardware store or park — everyday settings that have suddenly become fraught for undocumented students and their loved ones.

“I can only imagine the type of fear these policies instill in our undocumented and international students and other members of our community,” Frenk said. “But every one of our students matters, whatever their documentation status or national origin. I want them to know that we are doing everything in our power to not just defend them but to try to give them the peace of mind that’s required if they’re to learn effectively.”

That acknowledgment, and campus leadership’s unequivocal support for initiatives that aid undocumented students, goes a long way, said Deisy Leanos, director of the Undocumented Student Program at UCLA, which for more than 15 years has been an essential resource for UCLA students whose immigration status makes them a target for discrimination and deportation. The program continues to play a pivotal role today.

“Our role has been to provide a space where these students feel safe, heard and supported,” Leanos said. “And we are ensuring that students have access to the information and resources they need to navigate these difficult times.”

Along those lines, the program works closely with UC Immigrant Legal Services Legal Center, which provides free legal support and representation to immigrant students and their families. The center’s legal experts are available to assist in a wide range of areas, from assessing students’ immigration status and outlining their rights in the face of ICE enforcement actions to helping them with green card applications and renewals of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status.

The program has also ramped up efforts to provide practical guidance, not only for undocumented students but the entire campus community, whose allyship and solidarity are crucial in supporting vulnerable Bruins. Next week, March 18–20, they will present a series of UndocuAlly training sessions focused on services and resources, legal updates, and mental health allyship.

Helping undocumented and international students and employees feel supported not just legally but emotionally remains central to UCLA’s mission of fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all, and clinicians with UCLA’s Counseling and Psychological Services are well versed in immigration-related issues. Be Well Bruin and the health and well-being section of UCLA’s free speech website also offer a host of resources for students, faculty and staff.

Leanos said she is heartened by the fact that despite the obvious challenges, many undocumented Bruins have leapt into action to meet the moment.      

“Undocumented students have always demonstrated remarkable resilience,” she said. “Even today, many are actively seeking ways to advocate for themselves and their communities, engaging in campus organizing and resource sharing, and utilizing the support networks available to them.”

International students: Monitoring and preparing

For most international students, the biggest fear at the moment is travel, especially with spring break around the corner and media reporting on a potential federal executive order that could ban travel from a number of countries, said Sam Nahidi, who directs the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars, the primary resource hub for UCLA’s international student community.

“Students and scholars are planning to go home to visit their families, and they’re worried that they might not be allowed back in — so there’s a level of anxiety there,” he said. “And we are hoping that if there is a travel ban, it will be entry restrictions only, meaning that students who are already here can remain in the country and continue with their studies, which they have invested so much in.”

International students make up nearly 15% of UCLA’s student body, Nahidi noted. And while a travel ban would most likely apply to only a handful of countries and wouldn’t affect large numbers of international Bruins, the targeting of even smaller groups can have a toll on all students’ sense of belonging.

“This is a very important part of the Bruin population, and of course they have very special needs. At times, there are difficult situations,” Nahidi said, “and the expectation is that the campus is supportive. And it’s great to see that the university’s primary commitment is to support its students.”

The Dashew Center is continuing to monitor the situation, providing regular updates and working closely with students and scholars on travel guidance, visa advising and enrollment-related issues. The center also connects international students who may be impacted by federal executive orders with its officer from UCLA’s case management services, as well as with outside legal counsel, who can assist in navigating educational and visa-related challenges.  

And in the larger scheme, Nahidi said, the center continues to advocate in many ways on behalf of international students in collaboration with international higher education organizations. The full backing of UCLA and the UC system, he said, is encouraging.

Wu, the international student scheduled to graduate this year, agreed.

“I’m grateful to be at UCLA, where the international community is truly valued and supported,” she said. “With Chancellor Frenk — an immigrant himself — leading our university, I feel a deeper sense of understanding and reassurance, knowing that our voices and concerns matter.”