Letter to the Editor: On Immigration at the College

We are very grateful for the editors’ attention to the issue of immigration enforcement in the recently published opinion piece Beyond the Bubble: Solidarity in the Face of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We share their deep distress and profound concern around what we have seen unfold in Minneapolis, Maine, and other communities around the country.

Sadly, we also agree with the editors that Western Massachusetts, generally, and Amherst specifically, is not immune to the federal enforcement efforts making headlines nationwide. For this reason, our offices have long worked with campus stakeholders to generate policies, resources, and protocols so that we can be as prepared as possible should this activity happen on our campus.  

Operationally, our offices work most closely with those members of our community who are directly affected by changes to the federal immigration system – immigrant and international students, faculty, and staff. We offer guidance on visa and immigration issues, engage with senior leadership and campus safety to ensure we have strong protocols in place for protecting our community, provide opportunities for fellowship and education, and offer free consultations with a nationally renowned immigration attorney. Offering direct support to impacted community members remains our priority. If you are currently navigating the immigration system and are not already connected with the Office of Immigration Services (immigrant and international students) or Human Resources (immigrant and international staff and faculty), please reach out — we are here for you.

Most of this direct support work happens behind the scenes in order to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Institutionally, however, we have also helped to develop the College’s guidance on Responding to Federal Agents, a resource that was shared widely in early 2025. This resource is intended to support all campus community members — from students to staff and faculty — who may at some point interface with federal agents on campus. Similarly, many departments have hosted us for informational sessions, and we are always more than happy to meet, share information, and help connect community members with resources. 

In this particularly heightened national moment, we recognize that many allies on campus are eager to support their immigrant and international classmates and colleagues. With that in mind, expect to find us sharing resources and guidance in smaller, often more conversational settings across campus in the days, weeks, and months to come. Please also know that we will continue to center the safety of the most vulnerable among us when engaging in our work.

We believe that a well-informed, engaged, and caring community is essential to our collective wellbeing. We are grateful to the editors for modeling this. Similarly, we would like to leave you with a few ways you can keep yourselves and your campus community members engaged and prepared:

• Visit amherst.edu/go/federal and familiarize yourself with campus protocols around federal agents.
• Review the Immigrant and International Student Safety Resources offered online by the Office of Immigration Services.
• Invite team members from the Office of Immigration Services and/or Human Resources to speak at your team meetings if you would like to learn more about campus resources and local support systems.
• Engage in nuanced risk assessments, safety planning, and community-led learning opportunities with friends, families, and colleagues — both on and off campus.
• Stay attuned to immigrant and international voices, and prioritize local immigrant-led leadership in this work.  

We are so grateful and honored to be in a grounded community with you, ever more so during a time as disorienting as this. 

Hanna Bliss

Director, Office of Immigration Services

Scott Kinney

Assistant Director of H.R. Services, Office of Human Resources