Border patrol officers appear at career fair
This video was shared by GSEC on their Instagram page showing two border patrol officers in the BMU Wednesday.
Students were dismayed and fearful Wednesday when officers from California Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) were seen at the Business Fair in the Bell Memorial Union.
Chico State’s Career Center hosted the Business Career Fair in the BMU Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. Around noon, CPB officers were spotted in the BMU.
In case you haven’t seen. GSEC sent me these videos they shared of the officers in the BMU. pic.twitter.com/wHaI2FsQjU
— Natalie Hanson (@nhanson_reports) September 26, 2019
The event was meant for student and alumni “from all majors seeking business-related career positions and internships,” according to the Center. Many students were excited for the event as an opportunity for them to seek out connections and job opportunities, but were unaware that CBP had an opportunity to be present as well.
Two uniformed CBP officers were reported present by several volunteers at Gender and Sexuality Equity Coalition (GSEC) including Vall Flores.
A “Diversity Talk” with Richie Reseda, on the prison system and racism, had just been held in the BMU on the second floor.
Many students have taken to Twitter to protest what appears to be the university’s invitation of the officers to campus.
The Orion has confirmed that at least two California Customs and Border Patrol officers were invited and present at the Career Center fair today. @csuchicosqe and @ChicoStateGSEC were there providing students cards with their rights. More details to come. @theorion_news
— Natalie Hanson (@nhanson_reports) September 25, 2019
The fact that Chico State allowed ICE to come on campus. In or out of uniform. Business fair or not. Where is the respect for your students that are dreamers.
— E. (@erikaviolets) September 25, 2019
@ChicoState showing their true colors.
— Christopher Barboza (@ImChrisBarboza) September 25, 2019
Flores shared a video of the two men in uniform that had been posted on GSEC’s Instagram page. She and another GSEC officer, Drew Gonzalez, said that students began coming into the GSEC office in tears, in reaction to seeing officers on campus.
Gonzalez said that because CBP had a booth at the fair, the Career Center had invited them. GSEC is working to find out if the Career Center also invited the officers to be present while out of uniform.
He expressed concern that the officers were invited to campus
“It was a horrendous act, to bring CBP and only hyper-contradict this idea of being a Hispanic serving institution while also serving this institution CBP that has historically targeted Latinx and Hispanic identifying individuals since the 1920s,” Gonzalez said.
“They have deported, not only Mexican undocumented folks, but Mexican Americans as well. To uphold this institution is a dishonesty to the Latinx and Hispanic population on campus… They had been invited previously but never actually came. My question is why would you bring them? Was this effectively thought out for students’ safety?” Gonzalez said, saying he is concerned about students’ mental health after seeing CPB invited to the fair.
“I can say that students came today in our center and cried – have vocalized feelings of terror, have gone on social media and vocalized their fear of disconnection and the feeling of not belonging,” he said. “To bring them on campus and to the career fair is upholding white supremacy.”
The director of the Career Center, Megan Orm, as well as several students who saw the officers, have been contacted for comment.
Angelina Mendez and Natalie Hanson can be reached at [email protected].
Casey // Sep 27, 2019 at 8:16 am
“Legal ramifications for the University”? For what? These over emotional children will constantly look for a situation to insert themselves in so they can claim victim status. absolutely pathetic. If the dreamers were scared because ICE showed up, I’m scared because Chico harbors illegal aliens. Now I’m the victim. What about my feelings?
Jared Thornton // Sep 26, 2019 at 10:05 pm
How scary it must have been to have officers pass out pamphlets to students seeking a career after college… I hope GSEC provides these frightened students with emotional support through this trying episode of college. ***SARCASM***
Sincerely,
CSUC Alumni
Robin Indar // Sep 26, 2019 at 4:10 pm
This is a gross oversight. They should not be supporting or inviting these modern day gestapo (ICE/CBP) onto the campus to frighten students and uphold racism against the Latinx community.
Shame on whoever thought this was a good idea.
Erick Garcia // Sep 26, 2019 at 1:57 pm
As a first generation Latino male who graduated from Chico State, this is horrifying. How is a campus who represents “DIVERSITY” allow such an organization on campus, especially one that brings fear too so many people. When I say people, I am predominately speaking of the Latino community. There are student’s who come to this country for the education and have a need to feel safe when they go to these universities. Did the university not realize the fear and trauma they have caused to some of these students? Undocumented or not this is something that people fear throughout our country. This campus made it that much more real and unsafe for their students.