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Steps to take when contacted or approached by any law enforcement:

1. Remain calm, professional, and be polite.
2. State that, you “need to contact Public Safety who can answer their questions”.
3. Call Public Safety at 847-735-5555 and inform an officer you have an agent on campus.
4. Tell the agent to wait in a public space until Public Safety arrives.

Do NOT Answer questions or provide personally identifiable information about yourself or anyone else unless required by a value subpoena/warrant and told to do so by Public Safety. Examples include name, contact information, class lists, student schedules, financial information, etc.

Background for this guidance

With respect to immigration enforcement, Lake Forest College and Lake Forest College Public Safety (“Public Safety”) will follow the law.

The following provides context and guidance for Lake Forest College employees in the event that outside law enforcement officials request access to College facilities, students, or student education records.  Such officials include, but are not limited to, agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, Lake Forest Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (collectively, “law enforcement officers”).

Information Disclosure

Lake Forest College is subject to federal law governing the privacy of student information as set forth by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other applicable statutes.  Federal privacy laws (absent a health or safety emergency) generally prohibit the release of information from a student’s records to law enforcement officers except pursuant to a valid court order or subpoena, either of which must be lawfully issued as determined by Public Safety, or upon the written consent of the student. Accordingly, it is the policy of the College not to release any information about students to any third party, unless authorized under the College’s FERPA policy.

Request for Information Disclosure

If any law enforcement official, including an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, requests access to or copies of Lake Forest College student education records, the employee or department receiving this request must immediately contact Public Safety and inform them of such request. Public Safety will then review the request. When necessary, College leadership and general counsel will be engaged. The requested information will not be provided unless and until approval is received through Public Safety and associated departments, like the Registrar.

Access to College Facilities

Many areas of the College and facilities on the College’s campus are private and are not open to the public.  Non-public areas include classrooms, laboratories, the Sports and Recreation Center including exercise rooms, research areas, faculty, staff, and administrative personnel offices, conference rooms, seminar rooms, lounges, residential halls and individual rooms, or similar areas (usually behind a reception desk or closed doors) which are generally not open to the public.

Law enforcement officers, including ICE, may only obtain access to college facilities or students on campus under one of the following circumstances:

• Consent. Lake Forest College does not consent to law enforcement accessing areas that are secured and not open to the public under normal circumstances. Most College employees are NOT authorized to give consent on behalf of the College.
• Proper Warrants. Whether a warrant authorizes a law enforcement officer, including an ICE officer, to take a specific action, such as conducting a search or arrest, depends on the scope of the warrant and whether it was issues by a judge or was administratively issued. Lake Forest College, consistent with the rule of law, must honor valid judicial warrants, but it is difficult for an untrained person to determine whether a warrant has been validly issued by a judge.  Thus, it is vitally important to immediately contact Public Safety so it can be determined whether access is appropriate.
• Exigent Circumstances. In the extremely unlikely event that exigent circumstances, such as immediate risk of death or physical harm, exist or may exist, call 911.

Request to Access College Facilities

If a law enforcement official, including an ICE agent, requests access to a campus facility, building or any portion of the campus in which public access is restricted by a front desk, key or access card at the time of the request, and they are NOT accompanied by a Public Safety officer, the employee or department receiving this request must immediately contact Public Safety to inform them of such a request.  Public Safety will respond and review the request, in consultation with counsel and College leadership when appropriate. The employee or supervisor should ask the law enforcement official to wait until Public Safety arrives. Under no circumstance should the employee or department physically block or interfere with an access or enforcement action that has been approved by Public Safety.

Will the College honor a detainer request if presented by ICE?

No, we will not honor a detainer request from ICE. Public safety officers are not sworn law enforcement and are not bound by the same laws as sworn police officers. For this very reason we would involve our law enforcement partners who will make sure no laws or rights are being violated.  

What is the stance of the Lake Forest Police in the enforcement of ICE requests?

The Illinois Trust Act mandates law enforcement adhere to its guidelines, which allows law enforcement officers to exercise discretion regarding engagement with ICE matters. Therefore, the Lake Forest Police will not actively enforce or engage in ICE-related requests. (Administratively or criminally)

Since ICE typically issues administrative warrants rather than criminal ones, how will Public Safety determine if the warrant is administrative or criminal?

Public Safety will coordinate with our law enforcement partners to verify the type and validity of any warrant. They will confirm whether it is administrative or criminal and will guide us in determining the appropriate next steps.

If ICE requests access to a residence hall or other non-public areas, will Public Safety allow that?

No, Public Safety will not give access to ICE to enter dormitory halls or other non-public area.

Will Public Safety provide any information to ICE?

No, Public Safety will not provide any information to ICE unless directed to by law enforcement with appropriate documentation.

Will Public Safety notify the student if ICE inquires?

If ICE inquires, Public Safety will notify the Dean of Students and the Vice President of Campus Life to ensure that the student is informed, and proper support is provided.