On March 24, messages claiming U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was on campus circulated rapidly around Brandeis University. Students shared posts describing a black SUV with tinted windows and the license plate 2MVP48 reportedly seen driving on Loop Road near the Heller School. What began as a single report quickly escalated into a campus-wide moment of fear.

Among those affected was an international Brandeis student who said she changed her plans after seeing a message from her friend along with many social media posts. In an April 22 interview with The Justice, she said she had planned to leave her dorm for dinner and a campus event before deciding to stay inside.

“I’m not going outside,” she said. “I locked my door … I’m just going to stay inside.” This student, along with several others interviewed for this article, was granted anonymity due to concerns for their safety.

A few hours later, the Brandeis Student Union posted on their Instagram story that the reported vehicle had been misidentified and was, in fact, a Brandeis Public Safety vehicle. The post, based on communication with the Vice President of Student Affairs, urged students to spread the update.

While the clarification eased some concern, it also raised broader questions about how the initial report spread, why students received updates primarily through social media rather than official University channels and what responsibility institutions have when situations like this unfold.

The situation did not begin as reckless misinformation, but as a report made in good faith. In an April 15 interview with a representative from Fuerza, the vehicle was first flagged to their hotline. Fuerza is a Waltham-based organization connected to the broader LUCE network and works to monitor ICE and provide resources and services to affected communities.

The Fuerza representative explained that the vehicle matched several indicators commonly associated with ICE presence, including being an unmarked black SUV with tinted windows. It “... was our first ever vehicle that we’ve misidentified in Waltham,” the representative said. “There was an honest mistake … but [we were presented] with many of the red flags.” While the organization did not disclose the full details of its verification process, its initial assessment of the vehicle led it to confirm information that later proved incorrect.

Once the vehicle was identified as a potential ICE presence, information spread through student networks, such as group chats, Instagram stories and other shared social media posts that amplified the message.

Some Community Advisors alerted residents in floor group chats, while student organizations reposted warnings to their followers. Within a short period of time, a significant portion of the campus had seen some version of the alert. “It wasn’t just one post,” one student said. “People were making their own posts … and it spread like wildfire.” For many students, the volume of posts gave the information credibility. “In my opinion, there was no other option than to trust that information,” another student explained. “The possible consequences of not sharing it felt much more serious than the risk of warning people too quickly.”

However, the bulk of information that was shared seemed to result in greater confusion and uncertainty. Some chose to stay indoors, cancel plans or warn others. For the international student, the response was instinctive. “As soon as [I] hear the word ICE … I’m not stepping outside,” they said. For many students, particularly those who are undocumented, international or from immigrant communities, the perceived risk of ICE presence carried a lot of fear. “It’s like you build a life here and then there’s that immediate threat of it being taken away,” the student explained. Even after the information was clarified, that fear did not fully disappear. “It was a relief,” another student said, “but in the back of my mind … [the anxiety] didn’t fully go away.”

A March 24th statement published by the Student Union asserted that the vehicle had been misidentified and belonged to Brandeis Public Safety.

In an April 17 email to The Justice, Vice President of Student Affairs Andrea Dine confirmed that she had communicated this information to the Student Union leadership that evening.

Dine further explained that she “asked them to post accordingly on their Instagram account, knowing that it has a wide following by individuals and groups on campus.” 

In an April 21 email to The Justice, Student Union President Ria Escamilla-Gil explained that their decision to post on Instagram was intentional.

“Since most of the information was circulating on social media, that is where we decided to share the announcement,” she said. “While many things that affect students, such as current events, are out of our control, we do our best with what resources and knowledge we have that could benefit students ... The student union's role is to be there in the capacity that we can as we are students ourselves.” 

However, the method of communication raised concerns among students, as there was never an immediate official statement from the University and students were left to rely on secondhand confirmation that the rumor was false.

For some, this created concern rather than reassurance. “I think more of a quicker response would have been nice,” one student said, noting that the alert circulated for hours before any institutional clarification.

While the situation was unfolding, Brandeis Public Safety did not release a direct, real-time statement addressing the reported vehicle.

As of press time, Public Safety has not responded to The Justice  for comment.

However, on April 9, the department published a broader statement on its website outlining policies related to outside law enforcement and campus access.

On April 14, they added a “Public Safety Transparency” section, which includes guidance and general policies.

The statement clarified that federal agencies such as ICE do not have unrestricted access to campus and require a judicial warrant to enter non-public spaces like residence halls or classrooms. The policy also clarified that Public Safety does not enforce federal civil immigration laws. However, students expressed that they left key questions unanswered, resulting in further confusion about what qualifies as a “public” space on campus, why Public Safety operates unmarked vehicles that can be mistaken for outside law enforcement and what the protocol is for communicating during times where student safety is at risk. The statement did not directly address student concern or experiences while the rumor spread. 

The misidentification itself was acknowledged and Fuerza described it as an “honest mistake,”  indicating that internal reflection was already underway to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, several students raised concerns not only about the initial report, but about the institutional response that followed.

“There should have been a report from the school,” one student said, adding that the lack of direct communication raised concerns about whether the University’s response met the needs of students who felt most vulnerable.

Another student pointed to unresolved structural questions. “What are we going to do when this is a real sighting?” they asked. “How do we … keep Brandeis accountable for keeping all students safe?”

At the same time, students also emphasized the strength of peer networks. “I am very proud of how quickly students were able to spread the message,” one said, noting how rapidly the campus mobilized to alert one another.

Another student raised concerns about the spread of sensitive information, whether well-intentioned or not, via social media. They advised that “the best way to know that you are receiving trusted information is knowing exactly where you're receiving it from. It is difficult to do that on social media.”

The March 24 incident was the result of a miscommunication, but its impact was real. Students changed their plans, warned friends, reshared posts and attempted to protect one another in the absence of clear information. For many, particularly those most affected by ICE, the fear was immediate and deeply personal.

At the same time, the situation exposed a gap between how quickly information can move through a student body and how slowly institutions can respond.

Community networks acted quickly, even if imperfectly. Students mobilized to inform one another. But institutional communication, particularly from Public Safety and the administration, did not meet that same urgency in the moment it was needed most. This raises a critical question moving forward: When the next situation arises, whether a misidentification or a confirmed threat, who is responsible for ensuring that students receive clear, timely and trustworthy information?

The answer, according to students and advocates alike, cannot fall on any single group alone. It requires coordination between community organizations, student leadership and the administration; it requires transparency, not only after the fact, but in real time. Many believe the situation requires clear protocols that acknowledge both the speed of information and the stakes involved.

While this incident was a false alarm, the conditions that allowed it to escalate, in addition to uncertainty, fear and gaps in communication remain unresolved.

Correction: An earlier version of this article miscapitalized the title to read "Examining the March 24 ICE Misidentification on Campus."

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly wrote "students left to rely on secondhand confirmation that the rumor was false."

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly wrote "concer."

Correction: An earlier version of this article did not capitalize "when" after the phrase "This raises a critical question moving forward."

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly wrote a comma after the phrase "student leadership and the administration."