San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) stated on Tuesday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested one person near San Diego City College and pursued another person onto the campus.
According to reports from the city’s news agency, SDCCD officials said that around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, ICE officers driving an unmarked vehicle intercepted a car near the intersection of 16th Street and C Street. The driver was arrested while the passenger fled onto the campus.
The officials also mentioned that the passenger was a student at San Diego City College, and the arrested driver was believed to be a student at the same school.
However, the official said that ICE officers pursuing the passenger “quickly stopped as they realized they were entering a university campus.” The officers then returned to their vehicle and left. ICE is not currently in the area and did not have contact with anyone else on the campus.
The reasons for the police stop and arrest are still unclear. ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
SDCCD stated that they are providing support to the passenger, but “due to the sensitivity of the matter, will not disclose further details about the affected individuals.”
In a statement, SDCCD criticized ICE officers for disrupting campus order and mentioned that the City College and SDCCD are reaching out to affected students and staff to provide psychological counseling and legal services.
SDCCD emphasized that district policy prohibits campus police from participating in immigration enforcement activities, so the campus police department had no contact with ICE officers and did not provide any assistance.
SDCCD also stated that ICE officers had left the campus before district officials could reach them.
The incident did not result in the closure of the campus, and classes proceeded as scheduled.