ICE Backs Out of NJ College Career Fair After Pressure from Students

Facing pressure from students and administrators, Immigration and Customs Enforcement backed out of an appearance at a local college's career fair, according to reports.

ICE said it “voluntarily withdrew from participation” at a Rutgers University — Newark career fair, WNYC reports. The agency said, “it is unfortunate that the university is disregarding the needs of those students who seek a career with ICE.”

Rutgers University — Newark is one of the most ethnically diverse campus in the country.

An online petition by RU Dreamers, a group of unauthorized immigrants and their allies, called for the university to withdraw its invitation for ICE to participate in the college’s “Government and Public Service Career Fair” scheduled for Wednesday.

The petition called the invite “disturbing and unacceptable,” noting that career fairs are intended to be inclusive and that “this decision would alienate (undocumented) students from access to an incredible experience, hindering professional and academic opportunities” and cause emotional distress to students.

According to Rutgers officials, the university did not withdraw ICE’s invitation, but rather ICE decided to not participate, NJ.com reports.

"After conversation with Rutgers-Newark student affairs leadership, the local ICE legal research office concluded that their presence at the career fair at this point would run counter to their goals to recruit students at this event and to the spirit of the event, so they withdrew from participation," said Peter Englot, Rutgers-Newark's senior vice chancellor for public affairs and chief of staff, according to NJ.com.

The number of arrests by ICE’s Newark region jumped to 3,189 in the 2017 fiscal year, up from 2,247 the previous year.

Other employers at this year’s career fair include the U.S. Army, FBI, the Office of Homeland Security and local and state police departments.