January 12, 2026

Dear Members of the UC Santa Barbara Community,

UC Santa Barbara is fully committed to supporting all members of our community. We reaffirm our campus’s commitment to maintaining a welcoming and safe environment and respecting the dignity of all members of our community

State laws SB 98 (2025) and AB 21 (2017) require that we notify our campus community about several policies and procedures in place with regard to possible immigration enforcement on campus. These laws require both the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and request UC, to establish various policies and procedures on our campuses to foster a campus environment that is safe and inclusive for all members of our community, regardless of immigration status. This includes a notification when the presence of immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus.

To be clear, we have no indication or reports that such enforcement activities will occur on our campus. However, we want the community to be aware of the University of California’s position and our plans for sharing information.

Please review the following to ensure awareness and preparedness in the event of immigration enforcement activity on campus:

  1. If federal immigration enforcement activity is confirmed at UC Santa Barbara, the university will send an email to students, staff and faculty. An “SB 98 Notification” message will provide information about the time and general location of an enforcement action and will highlight resources for members of our community.
  2. Please notify Chief Campus Counsel Nancy Hamill or Associate Campus Counsel Daniel Sweeney at (805) 893-4000, as soon as possible, if you are advised that an immigration officer is expected to enter, will enter, or has entered the campus to execute a federal immigration order.
  3. All students, faculty, and staff responding to or having contact with an immigration officer executing a federal immigration order, should refer the entity or individual to Chief Campus Counsel Nancy Hamill for purposes of verifying the legality of any warrant, court order, or subpoena.
  4. Chief Campus Counsel Nancy Hamill is available as a contact if you are or may be subject to an immigration order or inquiry on campus. Unless permitted by federal and state education privacy laws, this designee is prohibited from discussing your personal information, including immigration status, with or revealing that personal information to anyone. Chief Campus Counsel Nancy Hamill can be reached at nancy.hamill@ucop.edu or (805) 893-4000. Associate Campus Counsel Daniel Sweeney can be reached at daniel.sweeney@ucsb.edu or (805) 893-4000.
  5. For more information about your legal rights in an immigration enforcement situation, please consult no-cost counsel at the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center and the “Know your Rights Card.”

As a reminder, federal immigration agencies can and do enter campus for non-enforcement activities, which can include recruitment and activities related to normal immigration visa processing. The procedures and information outlined above relate only to immigration enforcement activities.

For a broader overview of UC's policies and procedures relating to undocumented members of our community, please see UC's Statement of Principles in Support of Undocumented Members of the UC Community, reissued in January 2025, and Frequently Asked Questions for University Employees about Possible Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions on University Property. 

We know that many in our community are experiencing increased anxiety as a result of changes to federal policies. We are committed to supporting all members of our community as they exercise their rights under the law.

Sincerely,
Dennis Assanis, Chancellor