International Student Services (ISS) hosted its ninth annual “Know Your Rights” workshop on March 5, in partnership with the Berkshire Immigrant Center (BIC). During the workshop, BIC staff spoke with students and community members about immigrants’ rights. This year’s workshop was held amid an increasingly adverse environment for immigrants following President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“I think [the workshops] have always been essential,” Director of International Student Services Ninah Pretto wrote in an email to the Record. “But they are becoming increasingly necessary.”
At the workshop, BIC Director of Client and Community Services Lorena Dus highlighted how recent changes to immigration policies under the Trump administration have created new challenges for international and undocumented college students.
Dus taught students how to read a warrant, how to respond if approached or detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, and how to support friends and family in similar situations.
“Our goal is to empower community members with comprehensive information and guidance, enabling them to make informed decisions that best support themselves and their families,” Director of International Student Services Ninah Pretto wrote in an email to the Record.
BIC operates with the goal of helping immigrants navigate the U.S. immigration system by offering affordable legal services, local resources, and education, according to its website.
Attendees at the workshop received handouts and pocket-sized cards from the Immigration Legal Research Center detailing their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights.
This year’s workshop was held amid an increasingly uncertain environment for international students. On Trump’s second day in office, the Department of Homeland Security rescinded protections for “sensitive areas,” including colleges and universities, allowing ICE agents to operate on campuses.
These changes have already started to impact students on campus, Pretto added. “Most notably, they have heightened uncertainty, anxiety, and deportation fears,” she wrote.
“I’m thankful that the office is holding global circles to talk about these issues and how to combat them,” Ian Dominic ’27, an international student from Kenya, said in an interview with the Record. “[I am] really grateful that they are open to having conversations with us about how we can navigate this tough period.”
Prior to Trump’s inauguration, international students received an email on Dec. 6, 2024, advising them to return from any international travel before Jan. 19, 2025, the day before President Trump’s inauguration, and reconsider traveling outside the U.S. before the end of the spring semester in order to avoid being denied re-entry.
“ISS has raised its travel advisory level, recommending no non-essential travel due to intensified scrutiny of international students, the implementtation of enhanced vetting procedures at the ports of entries and for visa applicants, and increased immigration enforcement across the country,” Pretto wrote.
In response to the executive order, and other actions on immigration by the Trump administration, the College has created the Immigration Working Group, Pretto said. The group, chaired by Dean of the College Gretchen Long, has met monthly since January to monitor policy changes and assess their impact. “Its goal is to provide timely guidance and next steps, ensuring that students, staff, and faculty can make informed decisions that best support their needs,” Pretto wrote.
The College has had a procedure for handling potential interactions with ICE officers since 2017, Pretto wrote. “If [ICE] or other law enforcement agencies request student records or information or attempt to access a College building, faculty, staff, or students should immediately contact Campus Safety Services [CSS] … or bring the representative to CSS’ offices in the basement of Hopkins Hall,” she wrote. “CSS may also contact the Office of the General Counsel.”
The policy ensures that staff, faculty, and students know how to protect themselves and others while ensuring adherence to the law, according to Pretto. “Safeguarding the safety, rights, and well-being of non-U.S. citizen students, staff and faculty is a top priority,” she wrote.
Immigration-related policies are updated as often as necessary, in addition to being reviewed on an annual basis, Pretto noted.
While Dominic is thankful for the work being done by ISS to raise awareness, he wishes this support came from Senior Staff as well. “It would be nice to have some sort of communication, either from the deans or from Maud herself, about the situation and how we can navigate that.”
Looking ahead, Pretto said that ISS plans to continue its efforts to support students through future immigration challenges. “ISS will continue to do its best to anticipate challenges, minimize disruptions, and ensure that all students navigating the U.S. immigration system have clear pathways to continue their education despite the evolving immigration landscape,” Pretto wrote.
“We remain committed to supporting students, providing guidance, sharing resources, and implementing policies that foster a community where all students can live and learn safely and equitably,” she wrote.
