[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ min_height=”28px” custom_padding=”0px|||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” max_width=”5000px” max_width_tablet=”5000px” max_width_phone=”5000%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” min_height=”711.8px” custom_margin=”|auto|-51px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”69px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Playfair Display||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”38px” text_line_height=”1.6em” custom_margin=”-16px||6px|65px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”|||38px|false|false” custom_margin_phone=”|||32px|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” text_font_size_tablet=”38px” text_font_size_phone=”32px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Beyond Enforcement: How ICE presence is impacting students of color at Ohio State<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#FFFFFF” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”80%” width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”70%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_margin=”||12px|65px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||12px|38px|false|false” custom_margin_phone=”|0px|12px|32px|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”24px|||0px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”24px|||0px|false|false” custom_padding_phone=”24px||||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_margin=”|||65px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”|||38px|false|false” custom_margin_phone=”|||32px|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n By Mariam Abaza<\/span> | Special Projects Lantern TV Producer<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_margin=”|||65px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”|||38px|false|false” custom_margin_phone=”|||32px|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This story is the first of a two-part series. The second part will be published Friday in Beyond Enforcement: Resources for Students.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-04-08-at-17.15.17.jpeg” title_text=”WhatsApp Image 2026-04-08 at 17.15.17″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n In September 2025, Amir arrived at the immigration office for his regularly scheduled ICE check-in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In 1996, he legally immigrated to the United States, where he stayed under asylum for the past 30 years. In 2003, his asylum was denied, but he was given the ability to stay in the country under supervision, which he was told would not be stripped unless he was deemed a flight risk or threat to his community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Hours later, his family grew concerned as they waited for him to return home. After a period of frantic silence, they were told he had been detained by ICE and would be held in a facility indefinitely.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy dad has been here paying taxes, taking care of his kids, and taking care of his family,\u201d said his daughter, Fatima. \u201cHe has not committed a single crime since he has been here. There was no reason to arrest him at all.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since his immigration, he has complied with ICE restrictions and has attended all regularly scheduled check-ins, Fatima said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey allowed him to stay under supervision. That supervision is not supposed to be taken away unless you are a flight risk or you are a threat to your community. My dad was neither of those,\u201d she said. \u201cThey decided to arrest him illegally, and they\u2019ve been holding him ever since. He has not been deported. He has not been moved to a different facility. He has been in the same facility for almost, I want to say, almost five months now. It\u2019s a huge waste of time. It\u2019s a huge waste of tax dollars. It is just ridiculous, honestly. Like, that\u2019s the only way I can explain it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Fatima is an alum of Ohio State and currently works for Wexner Medical Center. Amir and Fatima were granted anonymity in this story due to safety concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n When her dad was detained, Fatima and her family were forced to fill his shoes as the breadwinner of the household.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHe was the one paying all of the bills and taking care of the family. With his arrest, his kids and our mom had to just step up and take over for him. We\u2019ve just been kind of putting all of our own resources together to try to pay our bills and pay the lawyer fees and everything that this situation comes with,\u201d Fatima said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The family was tasked with balancing financial demands and personal feelings as they navigated this challenge, which was conducted without due process, Fatima said. \u201cI don\u2019t think ICE\u2019s practices are fair because they have been illegally detaining multiple people. They\u2019ve been holding people for months on end without deportation or any type of process, attacking people on the streets, and recently killing people as well\u2013citizens of the United States,\u201d Fatima said. \u201cThis is completely unfair and completely unwarranted. It should not be happening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Amir\u2019s story is not unique. ICE arrests have escalated in recent months, both on a national scale and within the Columbus area. In one week, from Dec. 16-21, 2025, ICE detained over 280 people in Central Ohio during <\/span>Operation Buckeye<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the Columbus <\/span>Dispatch<\/span><\/a><\/span>, less than 7% of arrestees during <\/span>Operation Buckeye <\/span><\/i>had a criminal record.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2025, ICE arrested over 1,400 people in the Columbus area, a 500% increase from the previous <\/span>year<\/span><\/a><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With rising ICE arrest numbers in Columbus, Ohio State students have experienced ranging emotions, with some fearfully altering their routines to avoid potential danger and others feeling frustrated with the university response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Chris Booker, a university spokesperson, said the university is committed to the wellbeing of students.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s important to remember that Ohio State welcomes thousands of international students, visitors, faculty, and staff to its campus each year to study, teach, conduct research and improve lives in Ohio and around the world. As always, the safety and well-being of our campus community is our top priority,\u201d Booker said in an email. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2026\/04\/mariam-graph.png” title_text=”mariam graph” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”70%” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Actor||||||||” text_text_color=”#727272″ text_font_size=”15px” width=”70%” width_tablet=”78%” width_phone=”78%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”-14px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Breakdown of total amount of ICE arrests in Ohio from the past four years. Data last updated in early March, 2026<\/p>\n Source: U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement via the Deportation Data Project<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”National News Made Local” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Inter|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Olivia, a third-year in international studies and Spanish who also was granted anonymity, mainly felt fear and anger when she first heard about ICE\u2019s presence in Columbus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cObviously, we\u2019ve been hearing about what [ICE] have been doing in other states and how they\u2019re taking people and people are never seen again or they don\u2019t know where they\u2019ve taken them, and even the maltreatment of the people they don\u2019t take\u2013they\u2019re treating them horribly. So it\u2019s definitely a lot of emotions that are very heavy,\u201d Olivia said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Other students felt surprised that ICE was present in Columbus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Andrea Chacon-Ruiz, a third-year in international business and political science, said her first reaction to hearing of ICE\u2019s presence in Columbus was \u201cshock that it\u2019s so close.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s literally right here. I feel like it\u2019s one of those things where you see it on TV and you\u2019re like \u2018Oh that\u2019s happening in Minnesota. That\u2019s not happening here,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cNo, it\u2019s quite literally here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to surprise, some feel upset by Columbus residents\u2019 lack of reaction, though there have been several protests of ICE\u2019s presence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen it around the country, but I never thought it would happen here,\u201d said Genesis Tabora, a second-year in political science and criminology. \u201cI was really disappointed because I\u2019ve always thought Columbus to be a really diverse city, and even though Ohio is more of a conservative state, I thought the people from Columbus wouldn\u2019t stand for that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Physical Routines Changed” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Inter|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n As word of ICE\u2019s presence in Columbus spread, multiple students reported changing their routines and taking extra precautions in fear of confrontation, regardless of immigration status.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI am a naturalized citizen, so I always carry a screenshot of my citizenship on my phone,\u201d Olivia said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to have that reality, but you never want anything to happen. You just have to cover your bases, and sometimes even that doesn\u2019t help.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Regardless of citizenship status, people still fear for their safety because of previous ICE reactions, Chacon-Ruiz said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen the amount of brute force that ICE has used, not just against criminals, quote-unquote, that they are targeting, but also against U.S. citizens as well,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said. \u201cThe murders of Alex Peretti and Renee Good, those are just two examples of extreme and unjust force that has been used by immigration and customs enforcement.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2026\/04\/MG_4048.jpg” title_text=”MG_4048″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Actor||||||||” text_text_color=”#727272″ text_font_size=”15px” custom_margin=”-14px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”-14px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-14px||-81px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n University Police watch the crowd of protesters outside the Archie M. Griffin Grand Ballroom on Tuesday as another officer speaks to the crowd. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||2px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Recent ICE and immigration enforcement actions, including the killing of Alex <\/span>Pretti<\/span><\/a><\/span> and Renee <\/span>Good<\/span><\/a><\/span>, have raised concerns nationally regarding ICE conduct.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When asked for an interview to discuss student\u2019s concerns and possible future plans for ICE presence in Columbus, the response was short and incomplete.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEvery day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in Columbus. We do not discuss future or potential operations,\u201d the Department of Homeland Security said in an email. <\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, the email included images of multiple arrested individuals in the Columbus area labeled as illegal aliens and public safety threats.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n There is still fear and confusion surrounding ICE and DHS activities, especially in Columbus, Tabora said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI definitely feel less safe than I did before,\u201d Tabora said. \u201cI mean, they\u2019ve shot a white American. How am I, as a brown Latina immigrant, supposed to feel safe moving around Columbus when I know they\u2019re just racially profiling people who look and speak like me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to citizenship status, some students carry around passports and alternate documentation in case of confrontation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy family, specifically my dad, has really wanted to be cautious about what is going on with ICE so we have a copy of our passport in our car, whenever we go out. My mom also has pictures of her and my dad\u2019s important papers on her phone just in case she were to be questioned by somebody. We\u2019ve also had family discussions about what we would do if confronted by ICE,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>Students are adjusting day-to-day functions, including shopping and driving, to avoid law enforcement interaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven in daily life, now, I feel like I have to be more aware of where I\u2019m going, especially once you get into off-campus area or around it,\u201d Olivia said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been in a lot of places where you just typically go that you don\u2019t really think about. It\u2019s starting to be like \u2018Let me look at where people have been seeing them and if they\u2019re around here.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This has negatively impacted many immigrant-owned <\/span>businesses<\/span><\/a><\/span> in Columbus and across the nation, which have seen less frequent business as ICE presence rises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPeople are scared to go places. You see people at less and less of these places [Hispanic-owned businesses] because they\u2019re scared to go outside because what advice is there? That unfortunately will affect small businesses and people\u2019s wellbeing, so I feel like that\u2019s one of the bigger tolls it will take on the community,\u201d Olivia said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Some students are also choosing to forgo celebratory occasions for safety concerns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen posts on Reddit for fall graduation. I know some people who were international students decided not to go to their graduation in fear of ICE presence. So that\u2019s definitely a change in the atmosphere here at Ohio State,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ICE presence has impacted how safe students feel on campus, even those with citizenship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy immediate reaction is I would hope to say no [to feeling unsafe] because I am a U.S. citizen and I have every right to be here, but with how things are going, it\u2019s very scary,\u201d Lola Espinoza, a first-year in political science, said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult to continue business as normal amidst this situation, she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI definitely think the atmosphere has changed. How can you casually go about your day when people are getting tortured and killed just for having a thicker accent or darker skin?\u201d Espinoza said. \u201cIt\u2019s just so sad to think that students feel the need to constantly be on edge and be unaware if whether or not, if they turn the corner, there\u2019s going to be someone there trying to harm them or detain them or strip them away from everything they know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Mental Routines Changed” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Inter|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-4px|auto|0px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n -Though students have engaged in physical avoidance of spaces where ICE may be present, mental avoidance proves more difficult.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re seeing all of these news headlines of another person taken and nobody knows where they are. They\u2019ve taken a 5-year-old. They\u2019ve taken a 12-year-old,\u201d Olivia said. \u201cIt\u2019s truly a heavy mental weight that is something not easy to shake off and like it\u2019s something that\u2019s consistently happening. You just keep seeing article after article after article and it just makes it so much worse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This mental weight has seeped into school, making it harder to focus on coursework and regular function.<\/span><\/p>\n “As Latino students, I feel like for most of us, it\u2019s hard for us to focus and to just ignore what\u2019s happening and continue our lives when we know our community and people close to us are in danger of basically being attacked by ICE at any moment,\u201d Tabora said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2026\/04\/MG_4055-1.jpg” title_text=”MG_4055-1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Actor||||||||” text_text_color=”#727272″ text_font_size=”15px” custom_margin=”-14px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”-14px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-14px||-81px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A third protestor is arrested outside the Archie M. Griffin Grand Ballroom on Tuesday as officers attempted to disperse protesters. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a very weird timeline we\u2019re living in right now. Everything that\u2019s going on honestly makes it really hard to focus on school because it makes school feel less important,\u201d Espinoza said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Students face difficulty maintaining the mundane routines of daily life while carrying this weight, Tabora said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to have dumb conversations or try to focus on what\u2019s going on in class when you just saw the news of a 5-year-old getting arrested. It\u2019s hard to ignore that and just continue your life and move on as if this is not happening, especially as part of this community,\u201d Tabora said. \u201cAt the same time, I feel more encouraged than ever to try hard in school. I realized\u00a0 that I have to do this not just for myself, but also for my community.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Though she has not experienced it directly, Espinoza said her peers whose families are impacted by ICE also have trouble continuing with daily functions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGoing to class everyday when your family\u2019s being directly impacted and knowing maybe you\u2019re never going to see a parent or a sibling again when you come home for break, that is so upsetting and heartbreaking. Obviously, I think that would affect anybody\u2019s ability to learn and focus,\u201d Espinoza said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Individual students aren\u2019t the only ones concerned. ICE presence has wide-reaching effects on student wellbeing, Jessica Asante-Tutu and Kathrina Noma, president and vice president of the Ohio State Undergraduate Student Government, said in an email.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe presence of ICE activity in Columbus is not an abstract issue. It has direct and tangible impacts on students in our community. When students feel uncertain about their safety or ability to fully participate in everyday aspects of campus life, it disrupts not only their academic experience but also their sense of belonging at Ohio State,\u201d they said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#000000″ background_enable_image=”off” height=”869px” height_tablet=”869px” height_phone=”667px” height_last_edited=”on|phone” max_height=”713px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”3px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”10915,10913,10914,10916″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”75%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”-39px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Actor||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” width=”75%” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Andrea Chacon-Ruiz and Ilan Guman hold sign at Latin Orgs 4 Love event on Friday, April 3rd at Mirror Lake. | Courtesy of Latine Students in Law<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Students expect more from Ohio State” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Inter|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Students who spoke with The Lantern expressed frustration at Ohio State\u2019s action and communication regarding ICE presence in the area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOhio State has truly been disappointing in this area. They haven\u2019t really said much and especially didn\u2019t say much about the protests that happened at the career fair. In fact, they invited ICE at this time. They wanted them as a willing participant, despite everything going on, which I think is very insulting to their Latino community and just immigrant communities in general,\u201d Olivia said.<\/span><\/p>\n On Jan. 20, students protested the inclusion of U.S. Customs and Border Protection representatives at a university career fair. Three people were arrested at this protest due to violation of space standards, according to prior Lantern <\/span>reporting<\/span><\/a><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think they have any business whatsoever being on campus. I don\u2019t think they have any business being in Columbus at all, but to come on campus, that\u2019s just excessive and unnecessary,\u201d Tabora said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The police reaction to students\u2019 protest at the career fair also raised concerns, Espinoza said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s really disturbing that Ohio State allowed ICE to have a booth at the career fair and then allowed campus police to actively go against students\u2019 First Amendment right to protest,\u201d Espinoza said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Communication from university administration has been sparse, Chacon-Ruiz said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI personally haven\u2019t seen a statement or anything being put out by Ohio State. I will say that I am one of those people that reads all my emails and is active on social media, so this tells me one of two things: either there hasn\u2019t been a message relayed overall that acknowledges ICE presence or that message just hasn\u2019t been pushed enough to reach all students,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n University Spokesperson Chris Booker said in an email the university has published several resources, including <\/span>The Key Issues Page<\/span><\/a><\/span> and <\/span>ICE Interaction Guide<\/span><\/a><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis guidance has been accessible, updated, and widely shared with the campus community through university websites and targeted newsletters,\u201d Booker said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond official university communication, students have faced difficulty discussing this subject with their peers and professors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn classrooms, whenever people bring up [ICE]\u2013and I don\u2019t hear it very frequently either\u2013especially because of the new rules and stuff with SB1, it\u2019s something I feel like people, especially professors, are kind of a little scared to talk about,\u201d Olivia said. \u201cIt is something we should talk about because of everything that\u2019s going on. You have to be aware of what to do in these situations and how to stand up for people affected.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Though students expressed disappointment with the lack of guidance from the university, they were also not surprised by the response.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey [Ohio State administration] have never really spoken up about anything, ever, so it\u2019s not something I was expecting from them. It\u2019s just the administration as a whole has not said anything or really given any support to students during this time,\u201d Olivia said. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Is it Ohio State\u2019s responsibility?” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Inter|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cI do think [Ohio State] has the responsibility. This is something that can directly impact their students. We know that Ohio State has a bunch of international students. We also know that students are visibly unhappy with what\u2019s going on with the protests at the union, on Lane and High, at the Statehouse, et cetera,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Some students have called for a statement regarding the recent violence displayed by federal law enforcement.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI feel like everyone should be stepping up right now to say something about this. Our governmental leaders, even Ohio State\u2019s leaders, should be saying something about this, with the recent killings and escalated violence that ICE has been committing,\u201d Fatima said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When asked about releasing a statement, Booker said <\/span>Ohio State’s Philosophy on Institutional and Leadership Statements<\/span><\/a>, which outlines that \u201cto maintain the neutrality that assures academic freedom and freedom of speech and expression, Ohio State should refrain from taking institutional positions on complex political or global matters, events, natural disasters or tragedies that extend beyond the operations of the university itself.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Booker also said that \u201cenforcement in the greater Columbus area is not the same as enforcement on campus\u201d in an email.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The university has a responsibility to its students, Noma and Asante-Tutu said in an email.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cInstitutions of higher education have a responsibility to ensure that all students feel safe, supported, and able to access the full scope of campus resources and opportunities. We believe that requires clear communication, accessible resources, and a visible commitment to student wellbeing, particularly for those most directly impacted,\u201d they said.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#1b2c49″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_font_size=”24.5px” background_color=”#1b2c49″ background_layout=”dark” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n “I feel like the university just doesn\u2019t care enough about us to step out of their comfort zone and let us know they\u2019re going to be here for us”<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Though Ohio State has not publicly condemned the presence of ICE in Columbus, some students feel that the university should provide adequate resources for its students to navigate this challenge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOne of the university\u2019s main priorities should be to protect its students, and if communicating about this issue can do that, then I think they do have an obligation to at least keep their students informed of what\u2019s going on,\u201d Espinoza said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This lack of public acknowledgement translates as a lack of consideration, Tabora said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs a minority student, as a Latino student, as an immigrant, I feel like the university just doesn\u2019t care enough about us to step out of their comfort zone and let us know they\u2019re going to be here for us. I feel like that\u2019s the bare minimum that they could do, and they\u2019re not even doing that,\u201d Tabora said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The lack of resources may stem from a lack of understanding by university administration, said Chacon-Ruiz.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think that [Ohio State] understands the extent of fear and pressures that some students may face because of ICE presence,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said. \u201cIf they do understand it and are still not acting on it, that would be extremely disappointing.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The issue directly affects many immigrant students and staff members at Ohio State, said Olivia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese populations that are being targeted are still part of your student population, Especially because we have such a big group of international students, you want to make sure your students are protected and know what to do in these situations,\u201d Olivia said. \u201cMy feeling is you would want to protect your students and you\u2019d want them to be safe but it doesn\u2019t really feel like the university is holding up that responsibility at all.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Though students understand the limited legal capabilities of the university, they still believe that a statement should be released.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI know that OSU, as a school, there\u2019s really not much they can do. But I do wish they would release some kind of statement giving out resources and just telling students that, as a school, they\u2019ll be here for us if anything were to happen,\u201d Tabora said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The places that some students once sought for community in times of struggle are no longer accessible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On February 27, 2025, former Ohio State President Walter \u201cTed\u201d Carter Jr. announced that the university would be \u2018sunsetting\u2019 the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in compliance with Senate Bill 1, according to prior Lantern <\/span>reporting<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSB1 took out a lot of spaces that people come to to gather. For me personally, it took away the Latino Students Success Center, which was a huge community builder for Latino students. This is the first year we\u2019ve gone without it,\u201d Olivia said. \u201cIt would have been so helpful right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey also took away The Center for Belonging and Social Change. That was just another good comfort place. And I feel like, especially right now, we\u2019re feeling how much their presence is missing and how much they would have helped had they been here,\u201d Olivia said.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”How can Ohio State Provide Support in Compliance with the Law?” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Inter|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Though Ohio State administration is required to comply with federal law, students feel that the university can support their students within these restrictions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTwo things can be true at once, right? Ohio State can follow the law, comply with the law, on one hand, but on the other hand, they can still acknowledge what is happening and tell their students that they do care about what is happening and that they do see their students,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said. \u201cOffering resources, potentially, to students who are international or maybe students who have family members that are undocumented would be a good way to still be within the law but also show their students that they care,\u201d Chacon-Ruiz said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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