Editor’s note: This story has been updated.
Salt Lake Community College students are organizing a protest ahead of the upcoming Veteran Job Fair, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection recruiters are scheduled to host a booth at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus on Feb. 17.
The announcement follows recent protests at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University job fairs due to CBP’s attendance.
How SLCC is responding
Business major Olivia Marron raised concerns about CBP’s presence and the lack of transparency to the student body to the Dean of Students and Associate Vice President Candida Mumford.
“Some of the questions I was asking … ‘Will the school be making an announcement about Border Patrol’s presence?’ And essentially her [Mumford’s] response was no,” said Marron.
According to Marron, Mumford said the decision came from SLCC’s administration and marketing team. Marron added that recruiters will be in plain clothes and that she was told there are no restrictions on where they can be stationed.
“How are we supposed to know who these people are?” said Marron.
SLCC has the most diverse student body in Utah, with 28% of students identifying as Latinx and 31% as people of color. Some students have expressed concerns about CBP’s presence on campus due to increased immigration enforcement in Salt Lake City from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to Marron, students, faculty and community members plan to gather on Tuesday outside of the Student Center from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. SLCC often hosts job fairs to help students network and apply for internships and jobs. CBP has attended job fairs in the past.
Are ICE and CBP the same?
Not exactly. Both agencies work under the Department of Homeland Security. CBP focuses on enforcing U.S border security by checking for weapons or drugs in trade or travel, while ICE focuses on laws and violations of immigration statuses inside the U.S. However, those roles have overlapped as Border Patrol agents have assisted in ICE raids and arrests, according to The Seattle Times.
CBP is one of more than 10 employers recruiting at this year’s Veteran Job Fair.
Correct me if I am wrong but wasn’t it a Customs and Border Protection agent who shot Alex Pretti?