Fresno State pledges ICE warnings under new California law
California State University, Fresno, announced it will send campus-wide notifications if federal immigration agents are spotted on campus.
President Saul Jimenez-Sandoval told students and staff on Nov. 6 that Fresno State will comply with California’s 'SAFE Act.'
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) announced it will send campus-wide notifications if federal immigration agents are spotted on campus, drawing criticism from immigration enforcement advocates who say the policy undermines federal law.
President Saul Jimenez-Sandoval told students and staff on Nov. 6 that Fresno State will comply with California’s “SAFE Act,” a recently enacted state law requiring universities and other public institutions to alert employees and students when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other immigration agencies conduct operations on their property.
The university said email alerts will go out if enforcement activity is “confirmed,” while text alerts will remain reserved for immediate safety threats. According to Fresno State’s student newspaper, the Collegian, President Jimenez-Sandoval claims the alerts are intended to “ensure transparency” and “reduce fear” among students who are not American citizens.
[RELATED: Chicago students launch ‘ICE Tracker’ maps alerting illegal aliens of DHS raids]
The policy stems from California Assembly Bill 2586, known as the SAFE Act, which took effect this year and mandates public institutions to “notify and support” individuals potentially impacted by immigration enforcement.
The law is part of a broader effort by California state Democrats to limit cooperation with the Trump administration and federal authorities, a stance that has long frustrated ICE officials and conservative lawmakers who say it puts public safety at risk.
Fresno State’s official immigration resource page reiterates that the California State University system “will not release immigration status or related information” to federal agencies without a court order.
The announcement coincides with a broader legal and political trend in California higher education, as universities expand protections for illegal immigrants while limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Campus Reform has reported that the California Supreme Court declined to review a lower court decision, Umana Muñoz, et al v. Regents of the University of California, which found that the UC system discriminated against illegal alien students by prohibiting them from on-campus employment.
The Court of Appeal ruled in August that “the University’s employment policy facially discriminates based on immigration status.”
UC spokesperson Rachel Zaentz told Campus Reform at the time that the university is “assessing its options following the California Supreme Court’s decision” but emphasized UC’s long-standing support for undocumented students, calling them “remarkable young people who have overcome obstacles and excelled academically.”
Iliana G. Perez, a plaintiff and former UC lecturer, called the decision “a landmark victory for undocumented students who have fought for decades to be seen, supported, and valued within the University of California system,” according to a UCLA Law press release.
Perez added that UC “must now act with urgency to dismantle exclusionary policies and ensure all students, regardless of immigration status, can fully participate in their education, contribute to their campuses, and shape California’s future.”
Campus Reform has contacted Fresno State and President Jimenez-Sandoval. This article will be updated accordingly.
