Community Doubts College’s Commitment to Safeguarding Student Legal Statuses
As weeks of revocations come to a sudden halt, international students at City College have been warily left wondering what may come next – and when.
By Kyra Young
The Trump administration announced on April 25 that it would restore legal status for international students in the United States – an abrupt change of course after having revoked the visas or legal statuses of nearly 1,000 international students across the country since late March.
The administration’s sweeping efforts to terminate the legal status of international students have disrupted educational plans nationwide. According to the Associated Press, as of April 24, some 1,200 international students had been targeted by the administration’s revocations, with at least 120 of those students enrolled in California.
Within the Bay Area alone, the legal statuses of one student and four alumni have been terminated from San Francisco State, 23 from UC Berkeley, 13 from San Jose State, eight from Stanford and nine from the Foothill-De Anza Community College District.
As weeks of revocations come to a sudden halt, international students at City College have been warily left wondering what may come next – and when.
Eroding Trust
“I can’t say the school has been very proactive at protecting international students, and I imagine similarly for undocumented students as well,” said Krystal, who wanted to be referred to by another name to protect her identity. Krystal attends City College on an F-1 visa to study social justice and social work.
On Jan. 23, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution in support of undocumented and LGBTQ+ students at City College.
“I’m calling an advisory group together to advise me on how we continue to respond to, support and communicate with our broader community, particularly our undocumented students and our transgender students,” Interim Chancellor Mitch Bailey said at the time of the resolution.
In March, the college also released a memo that included guidance for students in the event that ICE agents come onto campus. On March 20, Bailey, alongside Maria Rodriguez Ramirez, City DREAM program manager, and Veronica Guinto, CCIS program supervising attorney with the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, hosted a “Guidance In Action” virtual session. The session highlighted protocols to follow in the case of immigration officials present on campus and provided details about services and supports for undocumented students.
Despite these efforts, many members of the student community still wonder if the resolution was the extent of the administration’s actions.
“It’s unfortunate our administration hasn't been proactive in reaching out to students and providing more resources on campus, like mental health support and reassuring students that our visa standings are valid … for now,” Krystal said.
Having had prior college experience as an international student, Krystal said she knew to take advantage of the resources available to students upon returning to school. She also gives credit to her outspoken nature for advocating for herself. However, Krystal fears many international students do not have the advantage of familiarity, or even the language, to ask for support.
“I’m thankful for the spaces I find myself in that see me and support me, like the Queer Resource Center, the Women’s Resource Center and Students Supporting Students,” Krystal said. “But I know how my mental and physical health have suffered from learning about what’s happening across the country. I need more support in the classroom with deadlines and resources. I think the overall institutional support for international students– and I’m sure undocumented students – is not enough.”
Another student, Jeffrey, who is also using a pseudonym to protect their identity, is in his first year at City College on an F-1 visa studying economics. Coming to City College, he felt fortunate to be in the United States for an education and hopes to transfer to UCLA or UC Berkeley, knowing a degree from an American university carries more weight than one from his home country. Now he says he feels like a hostage here in the current political climate.
“I had plans to go home and reconnect with my family this summer, but I had to cancel that trip seeing how so many people haven’t been able to get back into the States – even green card holders,” Jeffrey said. “It’s nerve-wracking. I’m trying to stay in good academic standing and keep my head down, but there’s only so much I can do.”
Reflecting on his first full year at City College, Jeffery found his experience to be far more independent and self-directed than he expected or hoped for from a community college – especially now, given the federal administration’s actions.
“I know no one is going to hold your hand through all of college, but it has felt as if it’s my job to find out the information I’m looking for and then go find the people I need… like everything is on me,” Jeffrey said. “We haven’t been told anything by the school about visa revocations. It’s kinda just hear what you hear on the news and deal with that on your own.”
Holding the Line
Meanwhile, in the City Dream office, Legal Advocacy Fellow Hugo Columbus says the community the center has fostered feels stronger than ever, as education and outreach efforts continue to reach an increasing number of students. Students still express their concerns and fears, but feel more equipped than they did earlier in the semester.
“A lot of international students have come in here, scared and not knowing what to do. They have found a lot of support here and we’re providing them with a lot of information,” Columbus said. “Communication and allyship are really important right now. We have good communication with the QRC and work a lot with them, but it needs to be better across all the centers. We are one school, we’re City College. This affects everybody.”
Informational flyers drafted by the administration in conjunction with City DREAM, providing guidance on what to do in the presence of immigration enforcement, were intended to be distributed across campuses in multiple languages.
However, students and faculty have noted inconsistencies in the display of information. Where flyers were found readily throughout Mission Center, they seemed less apparent at other centers, like Ocean Campus.
“I know there is ongoing communication between student leaders and the chancellor to set up a know your rights training before the semester ends, as some students want to go home and connect with their families. It’s a risky time,” said Krystal. “But I hold concern, that despite the ongoing communication, I’m afraid the college administration may not move fast enough – especially the Office of International Programs,” Krystal said.
“The OIP remains fully committed to supporting and informing our international student community, particularly during uncertain times such as these,” wrote the Office of International Programs in a statement.
We want to assure you that the OIP remains fully committed to supporting and informing our international student community, particularly during uncertain times such as these. We are aware that the recent wave of legal status revocations and visa terminations by the federal administration has caused concern among F-1 students at City College of San Francisco.
We continue to monitor updates closely from official and reliable sources such as SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) and ICE. We urge our students to remain calm and avoid relying on unofficial or potentially misleading online sources. Once we receive verified information, we communicate promptly and clearly with our students to provide guidance and reassurance.
In addition, we are advising our F-1 students to avoid participating in protests or demonstrations, as such actions could have unintended consequences for their immigration status. The safety and well-being of our students remains our top priority.
We are also encouraged by the recent news that the administration has reversed its previous decisions on student visa revocations. This development brings some relief, and we remain vigilant in advocating for the fair treatment of all international students.
