ICE at Career Fair Raises Questions at Cal Poly Pomona
By Dorothy Vazquez
Cal Poly Pomona was gearing up for its fall career fair, an event designed to connect students with potential employers and to provide internship opportunities. This year, however, the lineup had caught the attention of many students, as federal agencies — including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — were scheduled to be present.
The university had initially sent out an email outlining the career fair lineup, which included the FBI and various police, sheriff and probation departments from Los Angeles to San Bernardino. The email also acknowledged that the presence of some agencies, particularly ICE or CBP, “may be upsetting for some students."
The email noted that standard practices would be followed to “prevent unnecessary alarm on campus,” reminding the campus community that resources are available for those who need support.
After receiving feedback from the campus community, Cal Poly Pomona announced via Instagram that the Sept. 18–19 Career and STEM fairs would be postponed.
The university stated that the change allows it to “thoughtfully reformat these events… ensuring our career programming better serves the needs and aspirations of our students while remaining in compliance with our legal obligations as a public institution.”
The post also reaffirmed the university’s commitment to free expression, emphasizing the importance of “an environment where students and alumni can share their views openly, and where robust dialogue and constructive dissent coexist with inclusive opportunity.”
To better understand how students, faculty and staff view these developments, an anonymous survey was distributed across local colleges. The survey received 20 responses, providing insight into how the issue is being viewed across campuses.
Campus Community Representation
Graphic by Dorothy Vazquez: Data on which campus communities survey participants responded from.
Should ICE be allowed at career fairs?
Graphic by Dorothy Vazquez: Results from survey respondents regarding presence of ICE at career fairs.
Respondents also weighed in on whether they believed similar events could take place at their own schools
Graphic by Dorothy Vazquez: Survey responses to whether or not something similar could happen at respondents’ own campuses.
Survey responses: How People Feel
When asked how they felt about ICE being at Cal Poly Pomona’s career fair, many students shared frustration and disappointment.
One student wrote, “I feel abandoned by the overall California higher education community… For Cal Poly Pomona’s administrative board to decide that allowing ICE to recruit on their campus shows that they have completely abandoned the Latino community in California.”
Another respondent described it as “a slap in the face.”
“The school that I do my best everyday to represent turns around and represents me in that light?! Especially in the current political climate I have to admit that I, a first-generation Mexican student with immigrant parents, attend a university that supports the being that is ICE," the student explained. "I don’t stand for it and I don’t stand for my university siding with oppressors.”
Others kept their responses brief but direct.
“I feel that ICE had absolutely no place at Cal Poly Pomona’s career fair. It is frankly disgusting.”
Not all feedback was negative, however. One participant noted, “I have no problems with them being there."
Students also shared thoughts about how ICE’s presence could affect their campus environments.
One wrote, “It makes me feel sad, and in my college, I feel like they wouldn’t allow it. I hope I am not wrong, but I think everyone in my college feels protected.”
Another shared, “I have seen many families be affected by being separated from one another who are just trying to live day to day, and it’s sad that it has got to this increasing point where they are recruiting students to join ICE.”
Others highlighted the broader impact on campus climate.
“It just changes the environment on campus. College is supposed to be a safe space, and it is alienating an extremely large population of the student body to allow ICE to attend career fairs, or to be on campus at all.”
Another respondent emphasized precedent.
“I think it sets a dangerous tone and precedent for what schools find appropriate, and how they value their students. Schools can rally around students and offer words of support, and turn around and invite the enemy onto their campus for recruitment.”
Still, one respondent kept their response short and neutral -- “I feel fine."
What Comes Next
As the career fair remains postponed, questions continue to surface about how the university is communicating with students. The Instagram announcement about the delay is only visible on Cal Poly Pomona’s main institutional account — not on the president’s page, nor the Career Center’s public grid, where many students expected to find updates
Earlier in the semester, the Career Center’s Instagram account was briefly set to private, limiting the visibility of its posts during the height of student concerns. Although the account is now public again, none of its visible posts acknowledge the postponement or address the controversy, despite dozens of comments across recent uploads referencing the issue and asking for clarification.
The weeks following the postponement only added to student frustration. Aside from the single announcement on the main CPP account, there were no campus-wide updates, and the Career Center’s page made no public acknowledgment of the controversy. With the postponement mentioned only once and no further explanation provided, many students said they were left unsure of what the university planned to do next or how it would address concerns about transparency, safety and institutional accountability.
It wasn’t until early October that the university addressed the issue more directly. In a video posted to the president’s official Instagram account, President Levine addressed the backlash directly.
She said the situation required “hard decisions,” and added that she was “confident in the decision that we made,” while acknowledging that the university’s communication “was not necessarily in the best way” and “didn’t go out with a lot of heart.” She also confirmed that Cal Poly Pomona has moved away from large career fairs and will transition to smaller, industry-based events, with students now allowed to attend Cal State Fullerton’s career fair free of charge.
But even with the president’s response, many students still feel their concerns were not addressed. Under the official post announcing the postponement, students and alumni continued to demand answers.
One commenter asked, “What is the law that says a public institution must provide a space/booth to federal agencies to actively recruit on campus?”
Another alum wrote, “As an alumni, CPP is the most diverse school… Please protect your students!!!”
Others criticized the university more directly, calling the decision “tone-deaf,” “disappointing” and “not the values you teach.”
Collectively, the responses indicate many students are still unsure about what comes next, while also raising questions about how colleges across California will navigate similar decisions.