Disarray in LA Community Leave Cal U Students Wondering What to Do

December 2, 2019

[GAMEVERSE ONLY]

Last week, the LA community was rocked as LA Mayor Maria Rodriguez was found dead in her home. Recent autopsy evidence indicates that Rodriguez was likely poisoned. As of now, there’s been no comment from the LAPD as to whether Gene Lee, the Mayoral Aide who discovered Rodriguez’s body, is being considered a suspect.

This shocking news comes on top of the recent ICE raids in Chinatown where the agency detained an estimated 17 undocumented community members. These raids are said to be part of a large investigation into a ring of human traffickers thought to be tied to the Lucky Dragon restaurant. Among those apprehended in this raid is a Cal U student, Daniel Gallegos.

In addition to the Lucky Dragon, several other Miss LA Chinatown pageant sponsors and businesses in the LA Chinatown Neighborhood Association were raided by ICE. This occurs just after the anniversary of Cal U student and Miss LA Chinatown winner Laura Song’s abduction. Law enforcement hasn’t commented on whether the recent trafficking investigation is related to Song’s disappearance, but many initially suspected the Lucky Dragon, an establishment that Song reportedly had exclusive ties to, to be involved in her disappearance.

These events have prompted many students to ask whether they’re really safe on campus. In the past week, the Cal U President has invested in several safety measures, including more security guard patrols, better transportation, and increased lighting in response to concerns about the fact that Laura Song was last seen on Cal U’s campus. Many students, including some members of Song’s ex-sorority, Theta Theta Theta, have praised these efforts as being a step in the right direction and a sign that the administration is taking student concerns seriously. Sorority member Emma Chen has commented on Cal U’s increased security measures in an interview with the Daily Clue, saying “Our university president heard our concerns and pledged to do better.”

However, some think that more can be done to keep Cal U’s DACA recipient students safe, including making Cal U a sanctuary campus. Sanctuary campus status would mean Cal U administration would enact policies where they refuse to cooperate with ICE in respect to sharing students’ immigration statuses, allowing ICE officers on campus absent a warrant, or having campus police enforce immigration law. In the past, Cal U administration has been unresponsive to student activists who asked for the university to become a sanctuary campus, citing fear of losing federal funding.

Others have channelled their frustration into organizing events to help the Cal U community heal. This coming week the US Oversea Chinese Students Association will be holding an open forum for students to discuss and process recent events. With many students intimately affected by both the ICE raids and Mayor Rodriguez’s recent death, this event promises to give students an opportunity to voice their concerns and discuss what this means for the Cal U community.