On Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m., the University of Massachusetts Student Government Association (SGA) held its third meeting of the Spring 2026 semester in the Cape Cod Lounge.
The meeting included an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) training presentation by Senator Justin Morales and Esther Onyeka, chair of the Social Justice and Empowerment Committee.
Morales and Onyeka said fear has increased as ICE has expanded its budget and gained access to more surveillance tools. The pair emphasized the importance of knowing how to be prepared and protect your community.
“ICE’s authority comes from federal law, but is constrained by the U.S. Constitution,” Morales said. “It’s important to note that because at the moment our human rights and constitutional freedoms are being violated.”
Onyeka said the “expansion has outpaced accountability” and that ICE has begun operating beyond its capacity. Onyeka said that ways to hold the agency accountable include refusing consent to a search, denying entry without a judicial warrant and exercising the right to document public enforcement activity.
“It’s important to make sure you verify that there’s actually a signature if they’re trying to enter into a building that’s not public,” Onyeka said.
The Senate plans to hold a more in-depth ICE training on March 9th.
During the meeting, two motions were passed allocating money from the Democracy Inclusion and Action (DIA) Fund to the Black Mass Communications Project (BMCP) and the Haitian American Students Association (HASA).
BMCP President Hayden Previlon and Co-Vice President Somfenna Enwerekowe presented the DIA Fund request of $33,547.55.
The organization is planning for its annual Soulfest event, a weeklong celebration centered around hip-hop and Black cultural traditions. Soulfest has been a longstanding campus tradition for decades.
“It allows for the celebration and appreciation of African American culture on our campus, which contributes to the richer tapestry of experiences within the UMass community and beyond,” Enwerekowe said.
Enwerekowe and Previlon said that recent budget cuts have resulted in financial constraints, making support from the DIA Fund essential to sustain their events. The fund requested would cover sound equipment, live entertainment, police and security.
There was no extended debate, and the motion passed.
Previlon, the secretary for HASA, presented on behalf of HASA as well. The organization requested $9,960.72 in DIA funds for their Peach Pageant event this Friday, Feb. 20.
The pageant is “a celebration of the different cultures present within the UMass community,” Previlon said. The money allocated would be used for event logistics such as catering, space reservations and music.
After some discussion, the motion was passed.
The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) also had a motion requesting DIA funds. They requested $5,000 for an upcoming event, but the motion was tabled for next meeting after several questions arose about invoice documentation.
Patricia Cardoso-Erase, the dean of students, and Bridget Hynes, the inaugural director of Basic Needs Initiatives, presented on the Dean of Students Office’s new initiative for basic needs programs, along with their vision for the future.
“[The] basic needs initiative is a new initiative for the Dean of Students Office,” Cardoso-Erase said. “Basic needs work will happen across all of the programs.”
According to Cardoso-Erase, a significant part of Hynes’ work has been establishing the campus food pantry.
Cardoso-Erase and Hynes also explained the different types of emergency meal plans and loans that students have access to.
“You can see that [with] the Olympia Fire, we did a tremendous fundraising effort and distributed those funds out to students,” Hynes said. “But we regularly are giving out a big chunk to students of all types of emergencies.”
The next SGA meeting will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in the Cape Cod Lounge at 6:30 p.m.
Lacey Carciero can be reached at [email protected].
