Guidelines for Addressing Campus Visits by Government Law Enforcement Agencies

Many in our campus community have understandable concerns related to the impact of recent national events on Oberlin’s campus. One such concern involves tactics used by federal law enforcement officials to carry out executive orders pertaining to immigration.

As an institution that welcomes students and employees from around the world, Oberlin has necessary obligations to interact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, related to the College’s compliance with federal laws, and we expect those typical and sporadic administrative interactions to continue.

It is possible, however, that ICE officials or other government representatives in a law-enforcement capacity may make unanticipated visits to our campus pertaining to immigration status involving Oberlin students or employees. 

In every instance, the College will seek to protect the rights of our students, faculty, and staff while complying with lawful requests from government representatives.

It is important for the safety of our campus community in these situations that the College speaks with one voice to ensure specific compliance with lawful requests. The attorneys in Oberlin’s General Counsel's Office are trained to be that voice on behalf of the College. This includes evaluating warrants, court orders, and other legal or administrative documents. It is our job to interact with agencies, such as ICE, in these situations.

If you are approached by an ICE official or other government representative, please follow these two steps below:

1) CONTACT: Promptly call Campus Safety 24 hours a day at 440-775-8444. Explain that you are with government officials and request assistance. Campus Safety will meet you at your location and contact the General Counsel’s Office.

2) CONVEY: Inform the visitors that you are not authorized to respond on behalf of Oberlin College and that all requests for information must be directed through Oberlin Campus Safety to the General Counsel’s Office, and offer to connect them with Campus Safety. 

To ensure the safety of yourself and other members of our campus community, please do not engage with government representatives in any ways not outlined in this document, and do not attempt to physically restrain or restrict their access in any way.

In the coming days, we will share an easy-to-follow reference sheet recapping the guidance above. It is intended to support you if the need arises.

On behalf of all of us in the General Counsel’s Office, thank you for your support as we navigate these potential challenges. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at secretary.office@oberlin.edu.

Josh Nolan
Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary