Of the issues that come up in U.S. politics, perhaps one of the biggest, is immigration. One way NC State interacts with these issues is through the student organization, Students for Immigrant Rights and Equality (SIRE). Most recently, the club has been helping an NC State employee whose family has been personally affected by U.S. immigration policy, Sandra Marquina. 

Nicole Lopez Vargas, a fifth-year studying social work and nonprofit studies and president of SIRE, said the organization does a lot to spread awareness about immigration issues.

“We advocate for the equality of all immigrants; we strive to educate the community and spread awareness of pressing immigrants’ issues both local and national; we encourage people to take political action to protect immigrant rights, including voting and protesting; and we provide certain philanthropic and community services, activities, opportunities to work with immigrant communities or to help organizations that help immigrants,” Lopez Vargas said.

SIRE holds monthly general body meetings to connect with other members and the immigrant community and to educate the community. They have a monthly educational event series, Charlas for Change, where they discuss important immigration topics and invite guest speakers to speak.

According to Lopez Vargas, one of the major communities that SIRE helps are immigrants connected to sanctuaries in North Carolina. 

“There are sanctuary policies in cities and across the country, so there are some cities, entire cities, that are safe from ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” Lopez Vargas said. “There are places that are a safe space.” 

Marquina’s husband, Rev. Jose Chicas, was forced into sanctuary by the more strict measures of the Trump administration. Chicas fled El Salvador in the 1980’s to seek asylum from the civil war that plagued his country and has lived in the United States for thirty years. 

Chicas was forced to go into sanctuary in June 2017, after a regular check in with ICE, where he stayed until after the Biden inauguration in January 2021. Despite his new freedom, Chicas still cannot work, as ICE is withholding his work permit. 

This long captivity greatly impacted the lives of Chicas and Marquina. She shared her story through Lopez Vargas, who acted as her translator. 

“Personally, her family was really affected because of her privacy,” Lopez Vargas said. ”Everyone knew about their situation. … It has affected her in various ways psychologically.” 

It has also affected her job at NC State, as Marquina believes some of the people whose offices she cleaned began to avoid her because they were uncomfortable with her family’s situation. Even though her husband is free, Sandra still does not see much hope for the time being.

Marquina also added that her family’s publicity has made them a target.

“Because they were very public, Rev. Jose’s case was very public … [ICE] don’t want to give him a work permit again now that he is out of sanctuary,” Lopez Vargas said. “He is the only person in their community that still doesn’t have a work permit. [Marquina] speculates that this was because her case was so public and well-known.” 

While Marquina has not received any official support from the University, SIRE has tried to support the family with monthly fundraisers. To stay updated or get involved with SIRE, students can visit the club’s Instagram or email [email protected]. Read more about Chicas’s story here.