A Santa Monica College student was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents near his residence in West Los Angeles and subsequently deported, college officials confirmed Tuesday.
The incident occurred on May 5 in West Los Angeles where the student lived, not on any Santa Monica College campus. According to a statement from the college, the student "was summarily deported" but is "physically safe and plans on seeking legal counsel."
The college has not released the student's name or additional details about the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
"We recognize the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty many in the college community may be feeling, especially—at this time—undocumented/immigrant students, and those from mixed-status families," the college stated in its announcement to the campus community.
Santa Monica College officials emphasized that no federal immigration enforcement actions have taken place on any of the college's campuses and reaffirmed their "commitment to upholding an inclusive teaching-learning environment where all students may pursue their educational goals, irrespective of immigration status."
The college maintains comprehensive policies regarding immigration enforcement that follow guidelines developed by the California Attorney General's office. These policies establish clear protocols for handling potential immigration enforcement situations on campus.
Under these guidelines, Santa Monica College does not inquire about students' citizenship or immigration status beyond what is required for residency determination and tuition purposes. The college also prohibits the creation of registries based on immigration status and restricts the sharing of student information with immigration authorities without a court order or judicial warrant.
"Santa Monica College shall treat all students equitably in the receipt of all school services," according to the college's official policy. "Students may elect not to provide immigration or citizenship status information to the institution, and this election shall not impede admissions or enrollment in educational programs."
The college has established specific procedures for responding to immigration enforcement requests, including directing all such inquiries to the Superintendent/President's office. Campus personnel are instructed not to consent to immigration officers entering non-public areas without a judicial warrant and to immediately notify designated administrators if immigration officers are present on campus.
For students affected by immigration enforcement actions, the college has committed to making "all reasonable efforts" to help them maintain eligibility for financial aid, housing, and other benefits. The institution also pledges to facilitate reenrollment for students who are able to return after being subject to immigration enforcement actions.
The Santa Monica Police Department issued a statement on February 5 clarifying that they do not participate in immigration enforcement operations.
"Our long-standing policy remains unchanged: immigration enforcement is solely the responsibility of federal law enforcement agencies under Title 8 of the United States Code," wrote Santa Monica Police Chief Ramón Batista in February of this year.
The City of Santa Monica has not declared itself as a sanctuary city but city leaders have said they will not participate in immigration enforcement actions. The Santa Monica Police Department emphasized that they "do not and will not conduct independent sweeps, raids, or other concentrated efforts to detain individuals based on their immigration status" and will continue to abide by California's SB54, also known as the California Values Act of 2017 that limits local participation in immigration activity.
SMPD cited community trust as a primary reason for their policy, noting that public safety depends on all residents feeling safe when seeking assistance from law enforcement.
"No one in our community should fear that reporting a crime or calling for help will lead to deportation," he said. "By maintaining this policy, we foster a safer city where everyone can participate in keeping our community secure."
While the SMPD maintains its stance against participating in immigration enforcement, they clarified that they "remain steadfast in holding all individuals accountable for criminal behavior, regardless of their immigration status."
Santa Monica College has directed concerned students to several resources, including their Federal Immigration Response Enforcement webpage (https://www.smc.edu/student-support/dream/immigration-resources.php). The college has also created a specific email address—ICE-notification@smc.edu—to report any immigration enforcement activities affecting the campus community.