As California State University student’s express concerns about immigration raids and ICE presence on campus, the Administration of Justice area of Delta College continues to offer students with opportunities to careers in law enforcement, while understanding the campus climate.
“One of our missions here at Delta College is to provide a strong viable workforce for the community,” said David Terry, faculty discipline chair for Administration of Justice. “So, if law enforcement agencies understand that we’re here to help them meet their recruiting goals, that’s even better, but we are a partnership and the idea of community college is just that … we want to be a college for the community.”
In the Fall, three job fairs were hosted in the quad. Each successful career event has tabled a broad range of groups with an emphasis on recruitment for law enforcement agencies where Terry provides the opportunity for groups to sign up for free and to promote their particular services.
“Many of the agencies that form our advisory board certainly participate such as San Joaquin County Sheriff Stockton PD, an assortment of non-profits organizations that work with not only victims, but former perpetrators.,” Terry continues, “Additionally, CDCR, San Joaquin County probation, District Attorney, and the public defenders office.”
While Terry’s leadership and support has helped maintain a positive relationship between staff, students, and law enforcement agencies who participate in the career fair, questions and concerns have been raised by fellow California college students around border agencies appearing at such events.
These concerns being that by allowing all border protection agencies onto their campuses, students feel it not only gives the appearance of the school showing support for the administration’s immigration raids, but threatens the safety of its most vulnerable students.
California does still remain a sanctuary state, providing a cloak of protection for immigrant students choosing to study at one of the many campuses.
According to The Tribune(2025), California State University students have expressed serious concern around the school appearing to support immigration raids by allowing border agencies to recruit at their career fairs as well as concern around the safety of its most vulnerable immigrant students.
Given that Stockton is a city held up by its many culturally diverse communities, the concerns raised by the students of fellow California colleges has brought up the valid question of what steps Delta College will take if such issues arise on our very own campus.
“If such a request to recruit here were ever made, it would be reviewed through the College’s process for any outside organization seeking to participate in a public job fair, in consultation with campus leadership. Should a situation like this arise, we would be committed to being open and transparent with our campus community,” shares Director of Marketing and Communications Alex Breitler.
As Delta continues to host career events in light of the rapidly evolving immigration enforcements, Terry is also left in the wake to address these very concerns.
“I think this is a sensitive subject, obviously with the things that are going on in Minnesota. I believe those agencies have taken the initiative to not put themselves on college campuses where they could be mistaken for enforcement actions as opposed to career opportunities. And while I think we should always try to be the change that we want to see, especially in our government agencies,” Terry continues. “I’m okay with them not attending due to the overwhelming probably negative response they might receive as well. We don’t need the fear of students that might have their education disrupted by the fact that those folks are on campus and it could cause some triggered reaction.”
Recently, Stockton city council voted unanimously to reinstate the ‘Compassionate City,’ resolution on the back of California’s sanctuary status. This resolution is meant to reaffirm Stockton’s desire to maintain its compassion to its immigrant population, while discouraging any immigration and customs enforcement agencies from attempting to enter into city buildings and onto college campuses.
