Gianna Hayes
Chief News Editor
Secretary of the College, Angila Tracey, sent an email out to the campus community on Friday, Jan. 30, detailing the safest responses to law enforcement, such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), visiting campus.
Per Tracey’s email, law enforcement agents “do not have unrestricted jurisdiction to operate in our campus private spaces.” If approached by ICE agents or other law enforcement officers, students should ask for officers’ identification, ask them the purpose of their visit and contact Tracey. Tracey can be reached at 330-263-2360.
Should ICE agents or other law enforcement officers attempt to enter campus private spaces such as dorms, restrooms or faculty offices, students should immediately call Tracey and keep themselves safe by removing themselves from the situation. In the event that ICE agents or other law enforcement officers present a judicial or administrative warrant, students should contact Campus Safety at 330-287-3333 or direct agents to Campus Safety.
Students should also contact Tracey if asked to provide any information about a member of the campus community, so as not to violate Federal and State privacy laws.
Tracey’s email comes in the wake of growing tensions between ICE and communities like that of Minneapolis and Maine. While ICE’s “Operation Buckeye” surge in Columbus has seemingly slowed since December, ICE agents have continued to detain immigrants in and around Columbus. On Jan. 30th, MS Now, a local American news channel released an article stating that the Trump administration is “eyeing Ohio for immigration enforcement operations.” Following Trump’s comments about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, Haitians in the county were granted temporary protected status. Kristi Noem, Director of Homeland Security under the Trump administration, moved to end the temporary protected status of Haitians living in the United States. However, federal judge Ana C. Reyes moved to block the decision. College of Wooster students and Wooster community members joined together on Jan. 20 to protest ICE operations, specifically in Minneapolis following the killing of Renée Good on Jan. 7.
Community members can report and stay informed of potential ICE activity in their area via the Ice Activity Tracker, which also allows anyone to submit a report. Reports are verified and corroborated with other data available to the website developers. At the time of writing, the reports in Ohio are located in or around Akron, Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Lima, Dayton, Greenville, Springfield and Cincinnati.
According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants make up 5.1% of Ohio’s population, as of 2023.
On Oct. 28th, Orrville resident Lam Simmavanh was detained during a regular ICE check-in. His family’s GoFundMe has raised over $60,000 to help pay health insurance costs and other necessities now that the family has lost their main source of income. Through the GoFundMe, co-organizers have shared on behalf of the Simmavanh family that he was deported to Laos on Dec. 18 and released from a military camp on Dec. 31. At the time of writing, they have not shared any updates on legal proceedings.
Local groups organizing to protect immigrants include Wooster Defends Democracy, Wooster Advocacy Group and local chapters of Democratic Socialists of America and the League of Women Voters.
The Voice is committed to providing up to date information on ICE activity and protecting our campus community. To the best of our abilities, we will provide weekly updates on the Trump Administration’s ICE activity as it pertains to the College, Wooster and Ohio at large. If you have any tips, please reach out to ghayes26@wooster.edu, acrouse27@wooster.edu and hmarten28@wooster.edu.
