Penn Community Offers Guidance as University Remains Silent on ICE

Students and organizations step up to support each other in the absence of detailed guidance from the University.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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As federal immigration enforcement escalates across the country, multiple Penn students have stepped up to support each other in the absence of detailed guidance from the University on how to prepare for possible confrontations with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on campus. While the University has stated it is 'quite attuned' to the national issue, Penn has remained largely silent on how it would respond to ICE activity. In the absence of widespread guidance, Penn students and organizations have shared resources and hosted workshops to inform the campus community.

Why it matters

The lack of clear communication from the University has led to 'understandable anxiety' among members of the Penn community, especially after a recent incident at Columbia University where a student was detained by ICE officers. Penn students are concerned about the potential for similar encounters on their own campus and are taking matters into their own hands to prepare their peers.

The details

Penn's Division of Public Safety has stated it 'cooperates with outside agencies as required by law, while protecting the rights and privacy of students, faculty, and staff.' However, students say DPS has dismissed the possibility of ICE presence on campus and has not provided a clear contingency plan in the event of student detainment. Penn administrators have also been criticized for only releasing information 'piecemeal' and after 'clearing everything with the Office of General Counsel.'

  • On Feb. 26, a Columbia University student was detained by ICE officers.
  • In February 2025, Penn for Immigrant Rights (PIR) began hosting Immigration Know Your Rights Trainings.

The players

Kathleen Shields Anderson

Vice President for the Division of Public Safety at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jessa Lingel

Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and an at-large member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee at the University of Pennsylvania.

Penn for Immigrant Rights (PIR)

A student organization that aims to support the local undocumented immigrant community.

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What they’re saying

“Every conversation that I have with DPS, it's always like, 'They're not gonna come on campus.'”

— PIR member (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

“As far as I have been informed, ICE has not visited Penn's campus. That just hasn't happened yet.”

— Jessa Lingel, Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and an at-large member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

“We're talking about actual human lives at stake and people's families and communities. I would love to see that kind of communication from leadership, rather than … clearing everything with the Office of General Counsel before letting information trickle down to the people who work and study at Penn.”

— Jessa Lingel, Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and an at-large member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

What’s next

The judge in the case of the Columbia University student detained by ICE will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the student out on bail.

The takeaway

The lack of clear guidance from the University of Pennsylvania on how to respond to potential ICE activity on campus has led to growing anxiety and frustration among students, who have taken it upon themselves to organize resources and trainings to support the community. This highlights the need for more proactive and transparent communication from university leadership on issues that directly impact the lives of students.