Tell MSU: ICE Off Our Campus

The presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents is a threat to Michigan State University’s students’ safety and ability to pursue higher education. Within the past year, we have seen significant increases in ICE activity in previously protected areas, such as schools and universities, places of worship, and hospitals. According to the Deportation Data Project, in the first nine months of the second Trump administration, overall ICE arrests quadrupled. Arrests of people with no criminal convictions increased sevenfold. Students across the country continue to be illegally arrested and face threats that their visas will be revoked.

As of 2025, MSU enrolled over 4,000 international students in undergraduate and graduate programs. These students contribute valuable knowledge and skills to the university, but they are currently under threat due to ICE. At Columbia University, on February 26, 2025, ICE agents entered a private space and detained a student by falsely stating they were police searching for a missing child. This is just one example of overreach by ICE agents. In addition to thousands of arrests, several people have been killed by ICE, either directly by officers, or while in inhumane detention facilities. This is a gross overreach of federal power driven by fear and hatred of minority groups.

Students have repeatedly voiced support for a sanctuary campus: a designation that means MSU is a safe place for undocumented students. Following Bill 61-64, passed on January 30, 2025, the Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) released a statement in support of immigrant students, families, staff, and faculty affected by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement mass deportation orders. Two years prior to the passing of Bill 61-64, ASMSU advocated for MSU to be declared a sanctuary campus for undocumented students (Bill 59-49). These decisions are representative of the MSU students’ support for a sanctuary campus.

This opinion was amplified when hundreds of students gathered outside of the Hannah Administration building on January 29, 2026 to speak out against ICE and DHS.

Student sentiment speaks for itself. Spartans want ICE off campus.

The Michigan State University Young Democratic Socialists of America and the undersigned support the voices of MSU students by demanding these six items of Michigan State University for the protection of all students on campus.

1. No Backtracking of Previous Commitments

MSU’s policies on interacting with ICE can be found at the University’s Immigrant Support & Safety Resources website. MSU has already committed to protecting students by offering instructions to faculty on what to do if they encounter ICE. They have made it clear that faculty cannot reveal immigration status to ICE officers without a judicial warrant, in compliance with FERPA guidelines. Guidelines are also in place that distinguish public spaces where federal agents may enter, and private spaces that require a warrant to enter. Additionally, DPPS officers are not permitted to ask students about immigration status.

All of these policies are important steps in MSU’s commitment to protecting students, and they must be guaranteed to be kept in place.

2. No ICE On Campus

We demand that MSU create and implement a proactive strategy for ICE and CBP presence on campus. This includes barring ICE, DHS, and CBP from campus spaces not deemed public. These include spaces such as dorms, classrooms, and offices, as well as campus job fairs and events.

3. Use of the existing MSU alert system infrastructure to inform students of the presence of immigration enforcement officers on campus

We demand that Michigan State University expands its existing alert system to notify students and faculty of the presence of immigration enforcement on campus. The infrastructure for this is already in place. Expansion of the alert system will ensure student safety and awareness.

4. Provide free legal resources regarding immigration for immigrant and international students

Students should not have to limit their education in fear of legal trouble due to immigration status. MSU should openly advertise and support immigration law services, such as the MSU Immigration Law Clinic. These services should be guaranteed to be free to students in need of immigration legal support.

5. Non-compliance training for MSU employees

As these changes are implemented, comprehensive non-compliance training for university employees must be provided. This training should educate university employees on how to safely and legally deny ICE and DHS demands where a judicial warrant is not present. It will provide complete and accurate information about employee and student rights. The safety of Michigan State’s campus is a collective effort. By providing comprehensive non-compliance training, the university ensures safety for all of its students and staff.

6. Public Declaration of MSU’s Intent to Protect Students

We demand that Michigan State University administration publicly declares MSU’s intent to protect all students from federal overreach. A public declaration by the University speaks volumes within the state of Michigan and to other college campuses across the nation. Michigan State University can and should lead the way by demonstrating unwavering support for marginalized individuals within our community.