Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s effect on the undocumented community at TCC was the focus of the public statement presented at the board of trustees meeting April 16.

District associate general counsel Carol Bracken read aloud two consecutive statements from ICE Out of Tarrant, a coalition banded together by a common goal of protecting undocumented students in Tarrant County by limiting ICE activity on campus.

The group asked that TCC keep ICE officers without a warrant off campuses to protect its undocumented students.

In addition, they requested the college maintain their standard of privacy by not revealing a student, faculty or staff member’s legal status to ICE officers.

This organization said in their submitted statements that their concern begins with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on whether President Donald Trump has the authority to roll back the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protected immigrant students from deportation.

ICE Out of Tarrant’s statement also cited Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act, which specifically functions to seek out undocumented aliens and deport them, as a major problem they want to be addressed by TCC’s board of trustees.

The group said this policy causes a breakdown in trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement and harms students by resulting in family separations.

“It leads to irreversible damage to immigrant individuals, families and communities,” Bracken said.

The statement asked for the board of trustees’ influence to help further their cause.

“We believe that TCC board of trustees ought to adopt a resolution that would extend additional protective measures for their undocumented students and staff community,” Bracken read from the written statement.

The organization acknowledges the difficult challenge TCC is facing to combat the negative effects of the spread of COVID-19, which led to the full closing of all campuses.

“ICE Out of Tarrant understand the mountains of work the TCC board of trustees must be undertaking in response to the neverending obstacles that our communities are facing,” Bracken said.

Despite this, the group is seeking help from the board of trustees in these hard times.

“The coalition demands that TCC take further action for protecting their undocumented students and staff,” Bracken said.

Board member Kenneth Barr requested that the board be given both written versions of ICE Out of Tarrant’s statements to all board members for further consideration.