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Students at California State University San Marcos on Wednesday were texted an alert to warn them U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were spotted at an off-campus grocery store.
The alert prompted one prominent Republican watchdog to sound an alarm of her own.
“Cal State San Marcos just used taxpayer-funded emergency text alert system to warn students that ICE was within a mile of campus. Where? At a Ralphs grocery store,” Amy Reichert, a popular conservative San Diego-based activist and co-founder of ReOpen San Diego, posted on X.
“ICE enforcing federal law is not automatically a public safety threat,” she added. “The Clery Act is about campus safety, not a political messaging system weeks before elections. @CSUSM owes taxpayers an explanation.”
A one-year-old law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, SB 98, requires campus leaders “to alert the university community when immigration enforcement activity is confirmed on the campus unless prohibited by law.”
However, the law stipulates this measure is only for when “federal immigration personnel will be or are on campus property to engage in active immigration enforcement,” according to a CSU website spelling out the law’s details.
Moreover, routine activity by immigration officials should not trigger a need for an alert under SB 98, the website notes.
The text message sent to students on Wednesday read: “CSUSM has received notice that immigration enforcement is within 1 mile of campus at Ralph’s. Please check your email for more info.”
Ralphs is a chain grocery store located in a large shopping plaza west of Cal State San Marcos separated by a major thoroughfare.
The email sent to students, a copy of which was obtained by The College Fix, stated in part: “Out of concern for the safety, privacy and well-being of our entire community, and in accordance with our campus practice, we are writing to inform you that our institution has confirmed the presence of immigration enforcement activity within a mile of campus at the San Marcos Ralphs this morning Wednesday, Oct. 14.”
“We recognize that this may cause concern or unease for some members of our community,” the statement continued. “There is no reported activity on campus. CSUSM remains committed to fostering a safe, supportive and inclusive environment.”
The memo goes on to list a variety of counseling services offered on campus, a link to a CSU FAQ about federal immigration enforcement actions on university property, a link to the CSU Immigration Legal Services Project, and a link to a “Know Your Rights” Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
MORE: 11 Florida universities partner with ICE to enforce immigration laws
