Approximately 430 individuals have signed a petition calling for CSUN to offer more online classes following fears of the local detainment of undocumented students by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

Sophomore Cristopher Hernandez-Mayorga created an online petition to raise awareness about the challenges some students face when commuting to campus while attempting to avoid being detained by ICE. He credits his motivations to the current political climate and his immigrant background, which fuel his desire to rally voices in support of this cause.

“It was sad for me not doing something and seeing people that aren’t fighting for me,” Hernandez-Mayorga said. “So I decided to do at least something online, like a petition.”

The petition was published on Reddit in the CSUN and San Fernando Valley subreddits, aiming for 1,000 signatures. It gained some traction, with people commenting their support, disagreements and indifference about the matter.

“I am very sympathetic to what you are going through, but I also know that college campuses have a lot of protocols to keep you safe on campus,” one user commented. “So much is lost by moving in-person classes online.”

“Signed,” another user commented. “Thank you for helping students continue learning in this hostile environment. Education gives us hope. Without hope, we have nothing.”

The petition developed as almost 2,800 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Los Angeles last June, according to the Department of Homeland Security. More detainments are expected following the recent Supreme Court ruling that allows immigration officers the ability to use factors such as race as grounds for arrests.

“It’s very difficult because it’s no longer who has papers or not, who looks American, who’s not looking American,” Hernandez-Mayorga said. “It’s not a Latino issue, it’s [an] Asian issue, it’s [a] Black issue, it’s [an] Indian issue. Everyone is in danger now.”

As ICE continues to roam the streets of the San Fernando Valley, Hernandez-Mayorga said he hopes to pressure the university into considering adding more online classes for the safety of its students. So far, the university’s administration and board of trustees have not responded to Hernandez-Mayorga’s requests for more virtual learning.

Online classes were the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic, but as cases dwindled and schools pushed for the return of face-to-face interactions, in-person classes came back in full swing. According to a 2021 report, while 80% of classes are in-person, that number has most likely increased. This has caused more students to commute to school, including Hernandez-Mayorga himself, who said that he has to plan his way to school four days a week.

“I have to wake up more early because I have to use alternate routes, like, to avoid the places they target people,” he said.

Other students have commented on the petition’s webpage, agreeing that online classes would be beneficial for both undocumented students and those with disabilities. Several commenters expressed their disdain for ICE on the petition’s website.

“ICE is not welcome in our university, the valley, Los Angeles, California, or our country,” they commented under the petition. “Every student and faculty member deserves safety, as does every person residing in the US.”

Hernandez-Mayorga hopes students and professors will come together to address the issues of in-person classes, but emphasizes the dramatic change that students could cause.

“Email the departments,” Hernandez-Mayorga said. “I do believe in the power of students that we can change for sure. It happened, and if we have seen that the story is repeating, then we can repeat the good stuff, not just the bad stuff.”