Berkeley City College (BCC), home to Peralta’s first Undocumented Community Resource Center (UCRC) established in 2018, continues to serve as a safe space for the college’s undocumented community. Recent federal policy from the Trump administration emphasizes to “repel, repatriate, and remove” undocumented people in the United States – placing more pressure on undocumented students and their resources.
The administration, via executive order, reversed a policy that restricted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from conducting arrests in “sensitive areas”, which included college campuses. Public areas on campuses are now vulnerable to possible ICE enforcement, while college leaders scramble to educate college staff on the rights of their students and prepare for possible ICE presence.
The Citizen started an investigation of the undocumented student resources available at each of Peralta’s campuses as political pressures progressed.
See The Citizen’s previous reporting on Merritt College’s UCRC resources and updates to their website here.
Peralta’s first Undocumented Resource Center
The UCRC celebrates its seventh birthday this March. Even before the conception of the UCRC, Carolina Martinez has been a strong advocate for undocumented students at the college.
Martinez, who is the Student Equity and Achievement Coordinator and UCRC founder at BCC, is a former undocumented student and arrived in the Bay Area by herself from Mazatlan, Mexico around 20 years ago. She is now a legal resident.
She told The Citizen in a Zoom interview that it was at BCC where a counselor helped her find a passion in being a voice for undocumented student rights. Martinez leverages her personal experience to provide support to students who come from similar backgrounds.
Before the UCRC was established, Martinez served on the Undocumented Student Task Force as a student alongside a coalition of BCC employees and fellow students. It was through this task force that she helped push college leadership to provide more resources for undocumented students. The group gradually disbanded as the UCRC began to take form.
“There were no resources [at the time],” said Matthew Freeman, a Political Science Instructor and BCC’s Academic Senate President. “What Carolina and others did was show the power of resourcefulness in […] face of the lack of resources, and how that approach could be shared and empower others.”
The UCRC has now served generations of undocumented students in their educational goals at BCC, providing a safe haven for all who pass through the college’s doors regardless of citizenship status.
BCC President Denise Richardson told The Citizen that BCC’s continued support of undocumented students is an all hands on deck approach. She says the college recently revived the Undocumented Student Task Force in February and that they will meet bi-monthly until concerns surrounding the community are resolved.
“I’m focused on having some real practical resources for our students that they can access at any time,” Richardson said. “My vision is to fill those gaps as they occur and be nimble to retool or do whatever we need to do to meet their needs.”
Campus community coming together in solidarity
Constituency groups at BCC unanimously approved a solidarity statement and flyer distribution across campus in response to the mounting pressures against undocumented students. This action occurred at the Feb. 10 College Roundtable, where campus leaders, including representatives from BCC’s Academic Senate, Classified Senate, other campus administrators, and the President’s office, review budgetary and organizational matters.
The statement reaffirmed the college’s commitment to provide “a safe and supportive environment for all students, regardless of immigration status.” The document also includes BCC protocols for reporting ICE presence on campus, UCRC contacts, community resources, and information about Financial Aid eligibility.
In an interview with The Citizen, Freeman said the goal was to disseminate crucial information collegewide regarding undocumented student rights and the support systems available to them.
“We were feeling the urgency of the moment, and quite frankly, we felt that […] we were already behind schedule,” Freeman said.
Other community groups come to support BCC’s undocumented students
BCC’s undocumented community has also received support from various organizations outside of the Peralta network. The UCRC recently joined the City of Berkeley’s Sanctuary Task Force, a citywide committee of local organizations that recommend ways for the city government to strengthen its sanctuary city policy. Through the taskforce, the UCRC can develop more connections and promote itself as a resource.
BCC held a fundraiser with the American Association of University Women Berkeley on Feb. 2 raising nearly $6,000 for the UCRC Emergency Fund according to Martinez. The UCRC is currently developing a form for students to fill out so that they can apply for the funds.
Further donations to this fund can be made through the Peralta Foundations website.
On Feb. 22, Puente and the Undocu Solidarity Club helped organize Camino a la Universidad – a workshop for Spanish speaking families with kids in high school to learn about college preparedness.
Martinez said that students also have access to other undocumented centers at Peralta, as well as UC Berkeley’s Undocumented Student Program for additional support.
While outside help is available, the UCRC is still the home base for undocumented student needs at BCC.
Resources Available and Looking Ahead
The UCRC is equipped with four counselors who work directly with undocumented students to help them meet their educational goals and basic needs throughout the semester. Counselors provide academic assistance, mental health resources, and help with filing California Dream Act forms. Several student workers who perform similar functions as counselors at a peer level.
Students can also join the Undocu Solidarity Club for those seeking community.
Martinez said that she hopes to have training sessions for BCC’s faculty and classified staff in the fall semester that will include ICE response strategy on campus and how to support undocumented students with their everyday needs.
Community members can also receive free legal resources provided by appointment with the East Bay Community Law Center (EBLC). According to the EBLC, ICE is still not allowed into “private areas” on college campuses. ICE presence at any of the Peralta colleges should be immediately directed to the President’s Office according to the District’s administrative procedure – even if they claim to have a warrant to enter a private space, such as a classroom.
The collective voice of BCC’s leadership is strong and unanimous in saying that they are ready to adapt and stand by students through the uncertain future that lies ahead.
