OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION

IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (ICE) GUIDANCE
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Know Your Rights

Hofstra is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where all members of our diverse campus community can thrive. We strive to create a campus where every student, faculty, and staff member feels valued, safe, and empowered.

Due to recent nationwide and local increases in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, Hofstra University wants to ensure that everyone is equipped with the resources and information needed to navigate possible interactions with ICE officials, if they should come on or near our campus. 

In January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are authorized to engage in enforcement efforts at previously designated sensitive locations such as churches, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities. 

Hofstra University will never ask students for immigration status and ICE agents have no access to University records without a valid judicial subpoena. 

ICE agents are allowed in spaces ordinarily open to the public.  However, our residential buildings, academic classrooms and administrative offices are private spaces. ICE agents should not enter those buildings without appropriate authority. 

Know What to Do

If an ICE agent approaches you or community members on campus, please REMAIN CALM, PROFESSIONAL, DO NOT INTERFERE, and DIRECT AGENTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY (516-463-6789).

  • Remain calm.
  • All inquiries by agents or officers should be immediately directed to the Department of Public Safety. 516-463-6789
  • Do not confirm or deny the presence of any member of our campus community (student, faculty, staff).
  • Do not give consent for entry into non-public spaces, which include residence halls, administrative or faculty offices, classrooms and laboratories, digital spaces (nonpublic virtual environments or networks), and any area where access is restricted by campus ID, locked entryways, and campus housing spaces. 
  • Do not interfere with the activities of ICE or law enforcement agents.

CAMPUS SUPPORT

  • Remain calm.
  • Ask for credentials. Politely ask for the agents’ credentials (full name, agency/organization, badge number, etc.); a business card; and any legal documents (warrant, subpoena, etc.).
  • Ask them to wait. Politely ask the agents to wait to enter any non-public areas until contacting Public Safety at the numbers below. Public Safety will contact the Office of the General Counsel and will help coordinate the University’s response.
    • It is preferable for faculty/staff to first call Public Safety directly. If this is not possible based on the circumstances, faculty/staff may connect an ICE agent directly to Public Safety.
  • Do not accept service of a warrant or subpoena.
  • In response to questions or the attempted service of a warrant or subpoena, you can say: “I am not authorized by the University to grant permission to enter non-public areas, provide information about individual students or employees, or accept service of documentation on behalf of the University,” then refer the agents to Hofstra’s Department of Public Safety and the Office of the General Counsel at 516-463-1800. 
  • Do not otherwise interfere with the activities of ICE or law enforcement agents.

YOUR RIGHTS:

if you are contacted by an immigration or law enforcement officer you have the constitutional right:

  • To remain silent
  • To not consent to a search
  • To speak to an attorney

WHAT TO DO:

  • Remain calm.
  • You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, whether you are a U.S. citizen, or how you entered the country.
  • If an immigration agent asks if they can search you, you have the right to say no to a search of you or your belongings. 
  • If you choose to remain silent, say so out loud.
  • Do not offer false information or lie.
  • You have the right to speak to a lawyer. If you are arrested, detained, or taken into custody, you have the right to immediately contact a lawyer.

CAMPUS SUPPORT

DOWNLOAD KNOW YOUR RIGHTS INFO CARD [PDF]: English | Español

if you are contacted by an immigration or law enforcement officer you have the constitutional right:

  • To remain silent
  • To not consent to a search
  • To speak to an attorney

WHAT TO DO:

  • Remain calm.
  • You do not have to open the door or let the officers into your home unless they have a valid judicial warrant signed by a judge.
  • An ICE deportation warrant is not the same as a judicial search warrant. An ICE deportation warrant will not have a judge’s signature. If a deportation warrant is the only document presented, they cannot legally come inside your home unless you agree to let them in.
  • If the officers say they have a search warrant signed by a judge, ask them to slide it under the door or hold it up to a window so you can see it.
  • If the warrant does not have your correct name and address on it and is not signed by a judge, you do not have to open the door or let them inside.
  • You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, whether you are a U.S. citizen, or how you entered the country.
  • If you choose to remain silent, say so out loud.
  • Do not show any false documents and do not lie.
  • If an immigration agent asks if they can search you, you have the right to say no to a search of you or your belongings.
  • You have the right to speak to a lawyer. If you are arrested, detained, or taken into custody, you have the right to immediately contact a lawyer.

DOWNLOAD KNOW YOUR RIGHTS INFO CARD [PDF]: English | Español

For your own safety and the safety of others, please do not interfere with or physically block officers. Under federal law, taking steps to hide or assist someone in evading an officer can lead to serious legal consequences. The best way you can help is by immediately calling Public Safety at 516-463-6789.

Add Public Safety 516-463-6789 into your cell phone contacts now, for quick access.

DOWNLOAD KNOW YOUR RIGHTS INFO CARD [PDF]: English | Español

For employees and their family members, our Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) offers confidential counseling, information on community resources, assistance with legal/financial matters, and more. Reach out to EAP 24/7/365 by calling 800-999-7222. 

Hofstra Student Counseling Services offers free, confidential mental health support, offers short-term individual therapy, group counseling, and workshops for enrolled students. Services are available on-site at the Wellness and Campus Living Center or via teletherapy, with 24/7 access to support through TimelyCare or a crisis line. 

Public Safety will not participate in immigration enforcement, but it must comply with the law and not impede ICE. Public Safety will respond to the location and request credentials and identification from the ICE agent in charge. Public Safety will also ask that any relevant documentation, such as a subpoena or warrant, be reviewed by the University’s Office of General Counsel for an evaluation of its legal sufficiency. Public Safety may ask Nassau County Police to join them at the scene to support the safety of our campus community. 

Only when compelled by law. Otherwise, Hofstra will not share the immigration status of any community members or assist with immigration enforcement. If presented with a valid warrant or court order, the University will comply to the extent legally required.

The Immigration Defense Project has created the Know Your Rights with ICE flyer (in 16 languages) with detailed information to better prepare you for a potential encounter with law enforcement or government agents. Please refer to this flyer for additional information.

This page compiles and summarizes advice from several resources about your rights if you are contacted by ICE or local law enforcement. This page is not a substitute for legal advice. The laws and policies may change.

NATIONAL RESOURCES

LOCAL RESOURCES

This page compiles and summarizes advice from several resources about your rights if you are contacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or local law enforcement. This page is not a substitute for legal advice. The laws and policies may change. This information was updated in March 2026.