Undocumented Student Support

Parts of Lake Forest College are accessible to the public. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE") officers may enter these areas without a warrant like anyone else.

Not all areas of the College, however, allow access to the public. ICE officers cannot access campus buildings in which access is restricted by College-issued ID card, locked doors, or monitored entryways without being granted access by someone at the College. For example, ICE officers would not be allowed to enter residence halls or faculty offices unless the officers were granted access or possessed the appropriate warrant.

ICE officers are required to have a criminal arrest warrant or search warrant to lawfully enter limited access, nonpublic areas without consent. Frequently, ICE officers who come to campus are acting on civil, not criminal, authority, and generally carry administrative warrants. Administrative warrants are not signed by a judge from a judicial court and do not authorize officers to enter limited access areas without consent.

It is important to note that ICE officials may be on campus for reasons unrelated to enforcement actions. Lake Forest College admits many international students and hires international faculty and staff. On occasion, ICE and other immigration officers may conduct on-site visits to ensure Lake Forest College is in compliance with various visa programs. Lake Forest College fully complies with these visits as required by law.

If an ICE officer asks for access to a limited access area, you should:

1. Inform the officer that you must consult Lake Forest College’s Public Safety before granting access.
2. Ask the officer to wait in the nearest common area.
3. Immediately call Public Safety.
4. If instructed to do so by Public Safety, ask the officer for their name, identification number, agency affiliation, and whether they have a warrant.

Lake Forest College’s Public Safety Office does not ask anyone about their immigration status and does not create or maintain any records relating to the immigration status of members of the Lake Forest community. Lake Forest College’s Public Safety Office would assist to enforce a valid criminal warrant from any law enforcement agency, including ICE. Criminal warrants are issued when probable cause exists to believe the named subject in the warrant has committed a crime.

A residential hall room is considered a limited access area and cannot be legally accessed by ICE officers without a valid criminal warrant or the voluntary consent of the occupant. A student need not allow entry to any law enforcement officer who is not in possession of a criminal warrant, regardless of what that officer might say.

A student's rights are the same regardless of whether they live on campus or off campus. Individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their homes, both on and off campus.

ICE officers may have a warrant of removal/deportation (ICE warrant). This is a civil or administrative warrant that is not signed by a judge from a judicial court. While it may authorize ICE to arrest or detain an individual, it does not authorize officers to enter residence halls, apartments, or homes without consent. However, if a law enforcement officer has a criminal search or arrest warrant signed by a judge, then the officer does not need consent to enter or arrest an individual named in the warrant. You may ask to review the warrant presented by the officer.  

In all cases, individuals have the right to remain silent under the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and do not need to answer questions, or sign any documents without a lawyer present.

Employees who receive a request from an ICE officer for any information or records should contact the Public Safety Office immediately for assistance.

A student's personally identifiable educational and College health records are protected by a variety of privacy laws including the Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA). As a College employee, you are required to maintain the confidentiality of these records.

International students sponsored by Lake Forest College for a student visa are affected differently. According to the Department of Education, the Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) permits institutions to comply with information requests from the Department of Homeland Security in order to comply with the requirements of the student visa (F-1 and J-1) program. However, the information that can be requested and provided is limited to the categories listed in DHS regulations, and the request must be made to Lake Forest College's Principal Designated School Official (PDSO). For other information, international student records are entitled to the same FERPA protection that otherwise governs student education records in the United States.

If an ICE officer asks whether an individual works at Lake Forest College or is present on that day, you are not required to answer.

Regardless of the types of documents or information sought, you should not provide any documents or information unless instructed to by Lake Forest College Public Safety. Inform any officer requesting documents or information that you are not obstructing their process, but need to contact Lake Forest College’s Public Safety for assistance. To contact the Public Safety Office, call 847-735-5555 for instructions on responding to the request.

Lake Forest College has the following services available on campus:

• International Student Support assists with international travel, visa and other immigration-related questions to all F-1 and J-1 non immigrant students.
• Health and Wellness offers free, confidential, individual, and group counseling services for Lake Forest College students.

The following entities have released Know Your Rights information:

• The Illinois Office of the Attorney General
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center
• Illinois Coalition by Immigrant and Refugee Rights
• National Immigrant Justice Center
• ICIRR Legal Service Directory
• Private Attorney Referral for Immigration Matters

The Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights published helpful lists, including:

• A list of Chicago area non-profit agencies providing free or low-cost assistance with immigration matters
• A list of organizations that assist in multiple languages with Public Benefits, State Resource Centers, Food Pantries, Emergency Assistance, Financial Assistance, Housing, Utilities, and more.
• A list of nonprofit organizations that can assist with citizenship and DACA renewals.