California AB21 Immigration Guidance and Policy

Dominican University of California welcomes all students and supports their educational rights and opportunities. The University remains committed to providing a safe and effective learning environment for all students, regardless of nationality or immigration status.

CA Senate Bill 54 (SB 54) prohibits the use of California resources and personnel (including state and local law enforcement agencies) to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for immigration enforcement purposes and prohibits law enforcement from inquiring into an individual's immigration status. In addition, California law prohibits colleges and universities from giving access to many areas of campus to federal officers (ICE or others) engaged in immigration enforcement, unless they have a judicial warrant. Moreover, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits schools from disclosing personally identifiable information in a student's education records to a third party without the consent of the student or without appropriate legal documentation.

In December 2024, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued an updated guide to equip California colleges and universities with information and resources necessary to support all their students and to safeguard the rights and privacy of immigrant students and their families. As noted in the guide, protections are codified in California law to assure educational access for all students enrolled in any educational institution that enrolls students who receive state financial aid. 

Dominican University of California has established steps to protect the rights of students, including immigrant students, in the following circumstances. Please see the information below.

Additionally, the KNOW YOUR RIGHTS webpage provides information about protocols for encounters with Immigration Officials.

 

Access to Campus: Dominican’s non-public areas include classrooms, office spaces, counseling services offices, locker rooms, and restrooms. No Dominican employee or student may give permission for a law enforcement officer to enter these campus areas for the purposes of immigration enforcement, regardless of whether they have a judicial warrant. Student Handbook (pg. 27). 

Access to Residential Units: Only currently enrolled Dominican students and employees performing their assigned duties are allowed in University housing. Non-Members (those not affiliated with Dominican) are not allowed in residential facilities or units without permission from the Department of Housing and Residence Life. Student Handbook (pg. 52).
 

Dominican University of California values privacy and will not disclose any student information for the purposes of immigration enforcement unless required to do so under a subpoena or judicial order. 

All non-subpoena requests for student information should be referred to Paul Raccanello, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, paul.raccanello@dominican.edu (415-485-3223).

The only Dominican official authorized to accept any subpoena on the University’s behalf is Sherry Wangenheim, Vice President for Finance and Administration, sherry.wangenheim@dominican.edu, (415-458-3726).

For information on information disclosures permitted under certain circumstances not including immigration enforcement, please see the University’s FERPA policy.

The University has designated Paul Raccanello, Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, as the “point of contact” for any student, faculty, or staff person who may or could be subject to an immigration order or inquiry on campus: paul.raccanello@dominican.edu, (415-485-3223).

All students, faculty, and staff should notify Campus Security ‭(415) 269-6070‬ immediately if an immigration officer is expected to enter, will enter, or has entered the campus to execute a federal immigration order. Campus Security will contact Dr. Racanello’s office as soon as they receive information of an immigration enforcement activity. No Dominican employee or student may attempt to verify the legality of any warrant, court order, or subpoena. The only exception is Sherry Wangenheim, Vice President for Finance and Administration, sherry.wangenheim@dominican.edu (415-458-3726).

If there is reason to suspect that a student, faculty, or staff person has been taken into custody because of an immigration enforcement action, the University must notify the person’s emergency contact that the person has been taken into custody. All students and employees must keep their contact information updated in either Self Service or Paycom Employee Self Service (via Okta).

Dominican staff are available to assist undocumented students and other students, faculty, and staff who may be subject to a federal immigration order or inquiry, or who may face similar issues, and whose education or employment is at risk. Please see the contacts list below.

If an undocumented student is detained, deported, or is unable to attend to their academic requirements due to a federal immigration order, Dominican will assist the student in retaining any eligibility for financial aid, fellowship stipends, funding for research or other educational projects, housing stipends or services, and will permit the student to re-enroll if and when the student is able to return to the University.