The Trump administration has launched an unprecedented assault on immigrant communities across the U.S. ICE raids have increased in New York City, particularly in neighborhoods with high immigrant populations. Armed officers have abducted people off the street, without warrants, because they “look” like they might be an immigrant, are speaking a language other than English, or are merely present at a targeted location [1, 2]. New York City college and high school students, even young children, have been detained and deported without due process [3]. The Queens communities where many of our students live (Corona, Jackson Heights, Astoria, the Rockaways) have been repeated targets [4].

Currently, over 1/3 of CUNY students identify as immigrants and thousands of CUNY students are undocumented [5]. Given the demographic composition of our borough, we know that Queens College serves a large portion of these students.

Yet the Immigrant Student Support Initiative at Queens College has only one staff member, and the staff member is a part-time employee. While this office supported students in more than 650 interactions in 2025 alone, it cannot begin to meet the increasing demand with such limited hours. The ISSI office is only open two days per week, by appointment. Students with immigration questions are hesitant to reach out to faculty, as they risk revealing their status. There is no open space on campus where students can speak with trained staff, let their guard down, and connect with one another.

If these gaps in support remain unaddressed, immigrant and undocumented students may be at risk of falling behind academically, disengage from campus life, or even drop out entirely.

Other CUNY campuses like Brooklyn College, John Jay, Hunter College, and City College of New York have Immigrant Success Centers with full-time staff members, full-time assistants, and a dedicated space for students to connect and engage. [6]

Queens College is not prepared to respond to the threat to our immigrant community at the scale required. Our students are frightened; they have reported missing class and even withdrawing from classes because they do not feel safe commuting to campus. If the Queens College administration is serious about retaining students and improving enrollment, providing adequate support for our immigrant community is essential. The Queens College motto states, “We learn so we can serve.” But we cannot learn when we fear for our safety.

Our campus needs a full-time Immigrant Student Support staff person and an Immigrant Support Center with regular hours. These are essential services that require immediate and sustained funding.

We therefore demand:
● A permanent full-time Director for the Immigrant Student Support Center.
● Space for an Immigrant Student Support Center, with adequate staffing to be open at least four days per week.
● A budget for necessary training, supplies, and support staff.
● Clear guidelines for faculty and staff on how to prepare for possible raids on or outside campus and on accommodations for impacted students.

We await your reply.