Immigration Resources

The general counsel is the first point of contact for law enforcement officials seeking information about a university student, employee, or visiting scholar. Contact the General Counsel at 507-457-1587 or amerchle@smumn.edu.

Since Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is a private university, most of our residential buildings and academic classrooms are private spaces. Accordingly, ICE agents should not enter those buildings without appropriate authority.  If an ICE agent approaches you on campus, please follow these guidelines:

• Remain calm and professional. You should stay composed so that your interaction with the ICE agent does not escalate.
• Request the credentials from the ICE agent.
  Politely ask the agent for their name, badge number, agency affiliation, the reason for their visit, and any documentation authorizing access to campus. If possible, take photographs of any documents provided.
• Direct ICE agents to the appropriate contact.

Call Ann Merchlewitz, our general counsel, at 507-457-1587, and Campus Safety at 507-457-1703.  Respectfully inform the ICE agent that you are not obstructing their process, but that you do need to consult with the general counsel for guidance.

• Protect student and employee privacy.
  • Please do not answer questions or provide personally identifiable information about yourself or anyone else unless required by a valid subpoena/warrant and told to do so by the general counsel. Examples of personally identifiable information may include and are not limited to name, contact information, class lists, student schedules, etc. You are not required to answer questions from an ICE agent, and, because of FERPA, cannot do if those questions ask for student information.
  • Ensure compliance with FERPA

• Document the interaction
  After the encounter, take detailed notes, including:
  • The officer’s credentials and contact information.
  • The names of any campus employees involved.
  • The details of the officer’s request.
  • Whether a warrant or subpoena was presented, and if so, whether it was signed by a judge.
  • Copies or photographs of any documents presented.
  • Any actions taken by the officer.

Please email all the collected information to the general counsel at amerchle@smumn.edu.

Please remember that the personally identifiable information contained in any university record about employees and students is protected under laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and university policies.  Employees are required to maintain the confidentiality of such information.  We will not share private student information unless required by law or a court order.

Know your rights when dealing with immigration law enforcement. You have the constitutional right to remain silent and to speak to an attorney before you answer any questions from an immigration law enforcement official. If you are not a US citizen and you have your immigration documents with you, you must show them to a federal immigration officer if demanded.

For more information about your rights, visit  ACLU Know Your Rights. The Immigration Legal Resource Center, an independent immigration rights nonprofit organization, has available on its website legal rights red cards, which anyone can print out and give to an immigration enforcement official to succinctly assert one’s rights in written form.

If a student is detained by ICE, they should notify the Dean of Students at studentaffairs@smumn.edu as soon as possible.  The Dean of Students will work with Student Success in notifying professors, financial aid, the business office, etc.  Students who might be detained can request a leave of absence using the the leave of absence request form.