Students feeling iced out by LCC

By The Lookout Staff

Between December 2025 and February 2026, conflict between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and citizens in Minneapolis and Saint Paul resulted in thousands of arrests, including arrests of protestors and observers; the death of Victor Manuel Diaz while in ICE detention; and the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Perhaps attracting the most scrutiny was ICE's detainment of five-year-old Minneapolis preschooler Liam Ramos for over a week. This was just one of many instances where ICE specifically targeted school-aged children and the schools themselves, often waiting just outside of school grounds.

With such high-profile stories circulating through news cycles around the world, many students are worried that Lansing Community College may become a target. However, Lansing Community College has only quietly addressed those student concerns in a brief, one paragraph response under the Current Events FAQ webpage on the LCC website. The paragraph simply encourages students to contact a lawyer if they are worried about their immigration status and then reminds the reader that the college offers free counseling services for students and employees. This response—buried on the LCC website—is the only direct line of communication from the college to students addressing concerns about immigration enforcement in light of recent national events.

Past national events have warranted a direct response from the college, such as when the October 2025 Board of Trustees meeting in which the board avowed the college’s commitment to its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, even if it meant avoiding the use of certain terms. LCC has also made a commitment to support their Latino students through programs like LUCERO. If the college can create entire programs for their Latino students, it should also be able to address concerns held by students of all origins about immigration enforcement in the U.S.

The college has the ability to communicate directly to students and offer them more support during this time when so many are scared and feeling helpless. Other Michigan schools, including Michigan State University, go so far as to offer free aid and legal representation to those who may lack citizenship. At the very least, LCC can direct students to programs like those.

As more national events with direct impact on students occur, LCC’s administration must hear and address student concerns if it is to uphold its stated value to “foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, ensuring accessibility and tailored support for the unique needs of our entire community.”

The views and opinions expressed in The Lookout are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of Lansing Community College.