A group of San Diego City College students and faculty, who together look out for activity by federal immigration agents near campus, are organizing a rally.
The Feb. 12 event, called “ICE Out,” is intended to oppose the recent ICE enforcement actions at schools, in communities and cities locally and nationwide, according to flyers.
It will begin at 9:30 a.m. just outside the AH building and is expected to end at the San Diego federal building.
As flyers announcing the rally circulated on campus and on social media, San Diego Community College District Chancellor Greg Smith sent an email to the SDCCD community noting the increase in ICE activity nationwide and the district’s plans moving forward.
“The images of agents using lethal force against people circulating on social media and being broadcast on nightly news programs are gut-wrenching and horrific,” he wrote on Feb. 9.
Over the spring semester, each college within the district will be holding exercises to test “procedures and communication protocols,” according to Smith, should immigration officials attempt to access a district campus.
“I am revisiting skills and techniques for de-escalating such interactions to take every possible precaution to protect against lethal violence at our colleges,” he added.
Can’t see the video? Click here.
At spring convocation on Jan. 29, City College President Ricky Shabazz also spoke about campus safety, bringing up the ICE sighting that was reported at the end of the fall 2025 semester.
Shabazz suggested that students and faculty download the SDCCDSafe App.
“This is one of the ways that you communicate with us and that we communicate with you if something happens,” he said.
Can’t see the video? Click here.
Shabazz encouraged faculty to do what they believe will protect themselves and their students.
“You have my full support if you receive word, not a rumor, but confirmed communication that ICE is on campus,” Shabazz said. “For you to do what you think you need to do to keep yourself and your students safe.”
In both the convocation and the email, it was highly recommended that if immigration officers show up on campus, students and faculty are to direct them to the District’s office and not engage.
“We will not interact with and or respond to ICE being on campus,” Shabazz said. “They are not welcome here.”
This story was edited by Nadia Lavin and Itzel Martinez.
