In recent memory, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, or ICE, has been increasingly thorough in its processes of detainment. This has led to increasing hostility and wariness of some of the U.S. public toward this agency and its officers. Furthermore, a recent decision by the Supreme Court does little to help this situation.

On Sept. 8, 2025, U.S. District Judge, Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong’s restriction on race and language-based stops was lifted, effectively allowing such stops to resume. In an article by The Guardian, “Immigration advocates warned that the supreme court has “effectively legalized racial profiling,” granting federal agents the power to stop people in Los Angeles simply for speaking Spanish or appearing Latino.”

But how does this impact students at West Texas A&M University? Well, a few members of the Hispanic Student Association, or HSA, had this to say.

“Our goal [As the HSA] is to promote Hispanic awareness throughout West Texas A&M University, and the community surrounding it.” Leah Aviles, HSA Public Relations chair, said. “And I feel like it could definitely become a situation outside of LA, especially here in Texas. We already know how our government is here in Texas and how it’s run, and the stigma that we have right now towards Latinos and really, almost any person of color who you hear an accent from, the assumption [is] automatically, you know, they’re undocumented.”

Even on WT campus, there is an inherent fear for many students in this climate, and when rulings like this are being made by the Supreme Court, it perpetuates that fear.

“I think people are scared,” Donna Gonzalez, HSA Fundraising Chair, said. “They don’t want to go to the Hispanic Student Association, because guess what, there’s Hispanics there, and people can target us. So it’s very scary.”

The decision itself, from some perspectives, comes as a way of streamlining the process by which ICE agents can detain people for deportation, whether that’s based on prejudice or not. And while the ruling is currently being implemented in LA, we cannot be assured it will solely stay there.

“I’m a U.S. citizen, and I’m scared for them, because it’s ridiculous,” Aviles said. “You’re trying to go to school and receive an education, and you’re trying to do everything right, and just because of your skin color, because of where your parents come from, where you come from, you’re no good. And yes, people are scared. People are scared to join HSA. People are scared to even come to class. People are scared to even do their FAFSA.”

Reporter for The Guardian, Lauren Gambino, describes the ruling in detail.

“The high court’s ruling alarmed civil liberties advocates and rattled immigrant communities in a county where one in three residents is foreign-born, and where the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement has already seen armed and masked federal agents detain residents, including U.S. citizens.”

Moving forward, this ruling has been and will continue to be in effect. LA is the first, but it may not be the last.