(CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO (SLO)) U.S. immigration agents will no longer recruit at the Cal Poly career fair after months of student and faculty pushback, and in one recent case, a missed appearance tied to a federal government shutdown. The agency involved is U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which had been scheduled to take part in recruiting events at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona. University communities on both campuses raised strong objections, arguing that the agency’s presence clashed with campus goals around inclusion, and that it made undocumented and minority students feel unsafe.
As of October 22, 2025, CBP did not attend the most recent Cal Poly SLO career fair because of the shutdown, while Cal Poly Pomona postponed fall fairs and is now redesigning future events in response to the controversy.
Two related but distinct threads
The debate unfolded along two overlapping lines:
- At Cal Poly SLO, years of student organizing built steady pressure on the administration to rethink which employers appear at the career fair. That pressure overlapped with a federal government funding lapse that led CBP to withdraw from the most recent event.
- At Cal Poly Pomona, broad resistance to CBP’s planned campus recruiting led the university to delay its fall 2025 fairs and to rework their format. Administrators pointed to legal limits on excluding a federal employer from a public university forum, even as they moved to change how the fairs operate.
Why CBP’s campus presence is contentious
CBP has long recruited at colleges nationwide for frontline and professional roles—from Border Patrol agents to trade specialists. The agency is a large law enforcement body within the Department of Homeland Security charged with border security and customs enforcement at ports of entry.
- Some students pursue federal law enforcement and public service careers and view recruitment as legitimate career outreach.
- Many others at Cal Poly saw a CBP booth as out of step with the university’s mission and as contributing to an unsafe climate for undocumented and minority students.
Student organizations circulated petitions, faculty signed letters, and protestors pressed administrators to bar both CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement from recruiting on campus.
“Letting CBP recruit at the career fair made some students feel exposed,” organizers said, especially those from mixed‑status families or who are undocumented.
Petitions drew more than 1,000 signatures, and protest events involved staff and alumni concerned about trauma and fear among classmates. Faculty connected these concerns to Cal Poly’s stated plan to grow as a Hispanic‑Serving Institution.
Legal framework and university constraints
Administrators emphasized legal constraints that shaped their responses:
- Equal access obligations: Public universities that create open employer forums generally must treat lawful employers equally, including federal agencies.
- Content‑neutral rules: Schools can apply neutral participation criteria—like industry focus, fair themes, and professional conduct standards—that apply to all employers.
- Because of those constraints, Cal Poly Pomona chose to postpone and redesign rather than announce a blanket ban on CBP recruitment.
Campus responses and redesign strategies
Cal Poly campuses are pursuing several practical steps to balance access and student safety:
- Move from large, general career fairs to smaller, targeted events (pilot events in engineering, agriculture, and tech).
- Offer opt‑in formats—sessions off the main fair floor, virtual info sessions, or department‑level employer days.
- Publish employer lists well in advance and provide content warnings for agencies that might cause anxiety.
- Implement trauma‑informed supports and train staff to assist distressed students during events.
- Consider rules such as requiring civilian HR staff at booths, professional dress (no tactical gear), and restricting uniforms or weapons at employer tables.
Administrators framed these moves as attempts to stay within legal guardrails while addressing student concerns.
Immediate outcomes at each campus
- Cal Poly SLO: CBP did not attend the most recent career fair; the university cited the federal government shutdown as the reason. The campus continues to face pressure from students and faculty to rethink future participation by CBP and similar agencies.
- Cal Poly Pomona: The university postponed fall 2025 career fairs amid protests and announced a redesign aimed at smaller, more focused events. Officials emphasized the need to treat federal agencies like any other lawful employer while redesigning events to reduce harm.
Student experiences and suggested supports
Students described real, daily impacts:
- Undocumented students and those from mixed‑status families avoid spaces where they fear being seen by federal officers—even if those officers are recruiters.
- First‑generation and vulnerable students worried they would skip the career fair entirely, missing internships and networking opportunities.
Suggested supports include:
- More “know your rights” workshops and legal clinics
- Mental health services tailored to immigration‑related stress
- Briefings for event security to avoid practices (like unnecessary ID checks) that increase fear
- Department-level liaison roles so student voices shape event planning
Employer perspective and planning implications
Employers and recruiters are adjusting planning to avoid protest flashpoints:
- Release event designs early, including room layouts and de‑escalation security plans
- Focus on sectors and themes aligned with campus strengths
- Use smaller events to give employers more time with genuinely interested students
- Consider staffing booths with civilian HR representatives rather than uniformed officers
Options for CBP and similar agencies
CBP and other federal agencies have potential alternatives to large‑floor recruitment:
- Host virtual sessions or online info meetings.
- Participate in small, themed events held off the main fair floor.
- Reach targeted student groups (e.g., criminal justice clubs) where participation is voluntary.
- Provide clear disclaimers that they are there as HR staff and do not conduct enforcement or screening at campus events.
Whether such steps would fully allay student concern is uncertain, but these options mirror approaches other schools have tried.
Legal analysis and guidance
According to VisaVerge.com analysis, disputes over recruiter access often hinge on the forum type:
- An open career fair can become a public forum that triggers equal access obligations.
- Universities can still set neutral, content‑independent criteria for participation (e.g., theme, industry focus).
- This legal framing explains why Cal Poly Pomona opted to pause and redesign instead of impose a categorical exclusion.
What this means going forward
- For students: Expect more choice—smaller targeted events, online sessions, and opt‑in formats meant to reduce stress and unplanned exposure.
- For employers: Anticipate stricter participation rules, clearer event themes, and requirements like plain dress and civilian staffing.
- For the university: The central task will be to protect open access while reducing harm—by adopting even‑handed rules, piloting alternative formats, and centering student input.
For now, one immediate fact is clear: CBP will not recruit at the Cal Poly career fair this fall, due first to the federal shutdown at SLO and, at Pomona, to a full redesign of career events following strong campus opposition. What comes next will be decided through policy drafts, pilot events, and continued talks between students, faculty, and administrators—within the legal guardrails that govern public university forums.
Key takeaways
Universities must balance open employer access with protecting student safety and dignity, especially for those who fear contact with immigration enforcement.
- Redesigning events into smaller, opt‑in formats can reduce unplanned exposure and give students more control.
- Neutral, consistently applied rules and transparent planning help institutions withstand legal review.
- Additional supports—legal clinics, trauma‑informed services, advance employer lists—can mitigate harm while preserving access.
As campuses nationwide react to similar tensions, the approaches Cal Poly Pomona tests will likely inform policies at Cal Poly SLO and other public universities. The decisions made will affect how thousands of students start their careers—and whether they feel safe doing so.
Campus Actions and Timeline
- Cal Poly SLO: CBP withdrew from the most recent career fair, with the university citing the federal government shutdown as the reason for the agency’s absence. The campus continues to face pressure from students and faculty to rethink future participation by CBP and similar agencies.
- Cal Poly Pomona: The university postponed fall 2025 career fairs amid protests over CBP’s planned presence and announced a redesign aimed at smaller, more focused events. Administrators stated that public universities must provide equal access to lawful employers, including federal agencies, which shaped the choice to rework—rather than cancel—recruiting.
Legal Context and University Constraints
- Equal access obligations: Public universities that create open employer forums are generally bound to treat lawful employers equally, including federal agencies. That framework shaped Cal Poly Pomona’s decision to pause and restructure.
- Content‑neutral rules: Schools can set rules that apply to all employers, like professional conduct standards and event themes. These controls can guide employer mix while avoiding viewpoint discrimination.
- Student safety and climate: Universities are weighing how to protect students who feel threatened by certain employers while still complying with speech and access requirements. Measures include advance employer lists, alternative formats, and trauma‑informed support.
What This Means for Students and Employers
- For students: Expect more choice in how to meet employers. Look for smaller, targeted events, online sessions, and opt‑in meetings—formats designed to reduce stress. Students who might skip a big career fair should find new ways to connect without risking exposure to booths they want to avoid.
- For employers: Prepare for stricter participation rules and clearer event themes. Plan for civilian HR staff at booths, plain dress, and careful outreach. Employers should also support advance transparency so students can plan which rooms or sessions to attend.
- For the university: The core task is to protect access while reducing harm. Redesigns must be even‑handed, legally durable, and shaped by student input. The path at Cal Poly Pomona will likely inform decisions at Cal Poly SLO.
For further information on CBP hiring and programs for students and graduates, see the agency careers page at CBP Careers.
This Article in a Nutshell
Following months of student and faculty protests, CBP did not recruit at Cal Poly SLO’s Oct 22, 2025 career fair because of a federal government shutdown, and Cal Poly Pomona postponed and is redesigning its fall 2025 fairs amid widespread objections. Campus communities argued CBP’s presence conflicted with inclusion goals and made undocumented and minority students feel unsafe. Administrators cited legal constraints—public universities generally must offer equal access to lawful employers—but are adopting neutral participation rules, smaller targeted events, opt‑in formats, advance employer lists, and trauma‑informed supports to reduce unplanned exposure. Options for agencies include virtual sessions, themed off‑floor events, and civilian staffing. The redesigns aim to protect access while addressing student safety, with ongoing policy discussions and pilot events guiding next steps.
