Guide For University Employees* Responding To Visits Or Requests From Local, State, And Federal Law Enforcement Or Government Representatives (Agent)

Note: This guide was updated on February 26, 2025. 

Please see the related Frequently Asked Questions for further guidance. 

Inform all Agents that the University of Massachusetts (University) will not impede, obstruct, or otherwise fail to comply with lawful immigration-related directives and prioritizes cooperation with law enforcement and government agencies but that you are not authorized to provide information or accept service of any document and that you are required to contact the University’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) at 774-570-2123 and, in the event of a criminal warrant or investigation, the Campus Public Safety or Police Department.
 

WRITTEN OR ORAL REQUESTS:

If the Agent asks you for information about any University student or employee and/or states that they are trying to serve a subpoena, summons, complaint, restraining order, injunction, request for disclosure of information, I-9 Notice of Inspection, or any other legal document you MUST:

1. Ask the Agent to provide you with the name of their agency, their name, and badge number and for their permission to scan and send a copy of the document they wish to serve on the University to OGC for its review.  
2. Ask the Agent to permit you to have a consultation with OGC outside their presence.
3. Contact OGC who will determine and involve the appropriate University representative to respond, with OGC, to the Agent’s request.

SITE INSPECTIONS/COMPLIANCE VISITS:

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may conduct inspections or visits for compliance purposes as it relates to international students and exchange visitors on F-1 or J-1 visas, as well as workers on H-1B or other non-immigrant visas. If the Agent’s visit is an unannounced site inspection or compliance visit as it relates to individuals on these visa types you MUST:

1. Inform the Agent that you are required to contact the OGC immediately and inform them of the visit.
2. Contact OGC who will assist you in directing the Agent to the proper authorized University employee.

CRIMINAL WARRANTS/CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS:

If the Agent indicates to you that they have a criminal warrant, search warrant, or are conducting a criminal investigation, you MUST:

1. Immediately direct the Agent to University Campus Public Safety/Police Department, who will verify the Agent’s credentials and coordinate, as they deem necessary, with OGC.
2. Comply with a lawful order from a credentialed Agent.
3. Inform OGC of the event.

You are NOT authorized to:

1. Provide any information about any University student or employee to any Agent unless OGC has specifically authorized you to do so, as doing so may be a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) and/or the Massachusetts Fair Information Practices Act (“FIPA”) and/or other applicable federal or state law. This includes, but is not limited to, providing any personal information about a student or employee, or confirming that any person is a University student or employee.
2. Allow an Agent into any non-public campus space in the absence of an arrest or search warrant without timely advising your Campus Public Safety or Police Department Police who will then inform OGC of the event.
3. Nothing in this guidance authorizes the obstruction of justice or the administration of justice as defined under Federal law.  

*Here, University Employee includes all University employees except University Police Department employees.