Hood College Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Guidelines
The Department of Homeland Security announced in January 2025 that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will now be able to arrest people at colleges and universities. That announcement ends a 2011 policy prohibiting ICE raids in “sensitive” locations — like schools, churches, and hospitals.
In light of the revocation of this long-standing policy, Hood College wants to ensure that everyone is equipped with the resources and information needed to navigate interactions with ICE officials should they come to our campus. This document provides important tools and guidelines. This guidance is not legal advice but rather guiding principles to ensure legal compliance while protecting the rights and privacy of students, faculty, and staff. This interim guidance is subject to change.
Hood College community members will never ask for immigration status. Moreover, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits school officials from disclosing a student’s immigration status without express permission. ICE agents generally have no greater access to College records than any member of the public unless they present a valid judicial subpoena or arrest warrant.
Thank you for your continued efforts to support our students and the broader campus community.
Since Hood College is a private institution, our residential buildings and academic classrooms are private spaces. Accordingly, ICE agents should not enter those buildings without appropriate authority. If an ICE agent approaches community members on campus, please follow these guidelines:
You should stay composed so that your interaction with the ICE agent does not escalate.
Politely ask the agent for their name, badge number, agency affiliation, the reason for their visit. If possible, take photographs of any documents provided.
Contact campus safety immediately at 301-696-3111, and request an officer response to your current location. Upon campus safety arrival, documentation such as a subpoena or warrant will be requested from ICE officials by campus safety, giving ICE staff authorization to access campus buildings. The campus safety director or their designee will be contacted upon presentation of the subpoena or warrant and notify the President or their designee, who will determine next steps, to include verifying the subpoena or warrant with a legal representative. ICE agents should be informed that community members are not obstructing their process, but that College administration needs to consult with their legal representatives for guidance.
Please do not answer questions or provide personally identifiable information about yourself or anyone else unless required by a valid subpoena or warrant and told to do so by Hood administrators or legal counsel. Examples of personally identifiable information may include and are not limited to name, contact information, class lists, student schedules, hometown or place of origin, etc. Also, please ensure compliance with FERPA requirements.
Please do not attempt to verify the legality of any warrant, court order, or subpoena yourself. If an ICE agent forces their way into a space, call Campus Safety immediately and alert your supervisor. Under no circumstances should you attempt to physically obstruct agents’ activities.
Obstructing or otherwise interfering with certain ICE activities, including hiding or assisting students or employees, providing false information, or discarding important documents, may be a crime and subject to prosecution under federal law.
After the encounter, take detailed notes, including:
- The officer’s credentials and contact information.
- The names of all campus personnel involved.
- The details of the officer’s request.
- Whether a warrant or subpoena was presented, and if so, whether it was signed by a judge.
- Copies or photographs of any documents presented.
- Any actions taken by the officer.
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