Southwestern College Immigration Information & Student Privacy
Quick Answers
At Southwestern College (SWC), we are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for all students—regardless of immigration status. Our college policies, along with state and federal laws, ensure that student information is protected and that our campus remains a safe place to learn, work, and thrive.
SWC community members and partners can sign up for our alert system to receive emails, SMS/texts, and/or TTS/calls. All students and employees are automatically subscribed to SWC's emergency alert system.
All SWC employees must adhere to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA strictly protects the privacy of student educational records and all personally identifiable information contained within those records.
This means that SWC cannot disclose any student information, including immigration status, without the student’s written consent. This restriction applies to all outside agencies, including federal immigration authorities.
SB 98: What you should know.
SB 98 is a transparency law. It requires colleges to notify students and employees if immigration enforcement is known to be occurring on campus, and to send an all clear when it ends.
SWC complies fully with the California Student and Worker Protection Act (SB 98), which strengthens privacy protections related to immigration status and limits access to school campuses by federal immigration enforcement agencies.
Under SB 98:
- Immigration enforcement agents may access nonpublic areas of campus only upon presentation of a valid judicial warrant. (Ed. Code, § 66093.3, subd. (a)(4).) Nonpublic areas include offices not open to the public, staff/student-only areas, and secured workspaces.
- College personnel are not permitted to share information regarding a student’s or employee’s immigration status unless required by law. (Ed. Code, § 66093.3, subds. (a)(1), (a)(6).)
- Students’ personal information is protected, and colleges are expected to support undocumented students and help them continue their education when immigration enforcement actions disrupt their academic progress. (Ed. Code, § 66093.3, subds. (a)(1), (a)(10)(A).)
- SWC will notify all students, faculty, staff, and other campus community members who work on campus when the presence of immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus. (Ed. Code, § 66093.3, subd. (b)(1).)
- If SWC receives notice of an upcoming immigration agency’s inspection of I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms or other employment records, SWC will post a notice informing workers and their union representative, if applicable, within 72 hours of receiving that notice. (Labor Code Sections 1550-1559)
***Information provided (name, email, and phone number) will only be used for alerts if immigration enforcement activity is occurring on a SWC campus.
SWC students, employees, community members, and partners are able to subscribe via their preferred method of communication (i.e. Email, SMS/Texts, and/or TTS/Calls).***
Non-Participation in Immigration Enforcement Activities
Consistent with state law and our institutional values, SWC will not participate in immigration enforcement activities. In alignment with policies similar to AP3415 used across California community colleges:
Our Commitment to a Safe Campus
SWC is dedicated to protecting the rights, privacy, and educational access of every student. We recognize that fears or concerns about immigration enforcement can impact student success, and we remain committed to offering a welcoming and supportive environment for all.
If you have questions or need support, please contact the SWC Dreamer Center or the Office of the Superintendent/President.
Frequently Asked Questions
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