Wellesley College Hosts Immigration Rights Webinar
On March 24, Wellesley College welcomed the Mabel Immigrant Justice Center and the Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigration (ORI) for a “Know Your Rights” webinar aimed at equipping students with essential immigration resources. The hour-long seminar followed a significant crackdown on illegal immigration by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and occurred just days before the third such seminar in the nation.
Expert Insights on Immigration Resources
The event featured notable speakers, including Alex Peled Carroll, Director of Legal Education and Advocacy at the Mabel Center, and Ronnie Miller, Director of Strategic Initiatives at ORI. Their discussions came in the context of ongoing protests led by Indivisible, which saw an unprecedented turnout of 7 million participants during past protests, largely comprised of students.
Personal Accounts Highlight Challenges
The seminar was particularly poignant for Eny Lucía López-Belloza, a Babson student who was deported by ICE in November 2025. López-Belloza expressed her disappointment at not being able to return to campus this semester, bringing a personal touch to the discussions surrounding the current climate of immigration enforcement.
Community Support Initiatives by ORI
ORI is actively engaged in community support initiatives that provide legal, medical, and human services, particularly in response to rising ICE activities. Recently, the organization unveiled a resource toolkit and hotline designed for individuals encountering ICE, driven by increased governmental scrutiny and recent memos indicating an intent to conduct warrantless entries into private spaces.
Legal Perspectives on Bystander Rights
During her presentation, Carroll highlighted the legal protections surrounding bystander rights in Massachusetts. She emphasized that while videotaping police officers is permissible, any recordings featuring audio require the filmmaker to announce their intent to record loudly enough for those involved to hear. Carroll warned that interfering with an arrest is against the law, urging attendees to maintain composure in such situations.
Staying Engaged and Informed
Carroll also advised attendees to collect contact information for family members or legal advisors of those being arrested, provided it does not hinder the arrest process. Sidney Briggs, Wellesley College’s Political Engagement Chair, echoed the importance of disseminating information about individual rights, particularly following López-Belloza’s deportation.
A Call for Continued Resources
Briggs noted that discussions surrounding deportation have been ongoing throughout the year, reflecting the Wellesley community’s deepening connection to Boston and its social issues. She expressed optimism for the continuation of “Know Your Rights” seminars, as students navigate civic engagement amid ongoing ICE enforcement. “These resources not only prepare students for interactions with ICE but also strengthen our wider communities,” she explained, underlining the importance of vigilance in protecting community rights.
Contact the editors responsible for this article: Jessica Chen and Lyanne Wang.
