Columbia Removes DHS Career Expo Listing After Faculty Say Promotion 'Aids Authoritarianism'

Columbia University removed a promotional listing for a Department of Homeland Security–affiliated virtual career expo after a coalition of faculty members objected that advertising the event amounted to endorsing "authoritarianism." The listing promoted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Virtual Career Expo scheduled for Feb. 18, which invited students and alumni to speak with federal law enforcement recruiters online.

The item had appeared on the School of Professional Studies (SPS) Career Design Lab site via 12twenty, an external recruitment platform that aggregates job postings and hiring events from a wide network of employers. The New York Post and amNY reported the listing and the ensuing dispute.

Protesters, largely students calling for greater protections against ICE actions, are arrested by New York police after blocking a street outside Columbia University on Feb. 5, 2026, in New York City.(Getty Images)

University Response

Columbia issued a statement clarifying that the listing did not represent an institutional endorsement. "SPS and the University do not control or select the employers available on the 12twenty network," the university said, noting that "job opportunities or career expo events made available on the platform should not be construed as a sponsorship or endorsement by SPS or the University. These events take place virtually and no students are required to participate."

The university also highlighted that the 12twenty platform includes many employers across sectors, including federal agencies such as the CDC, EPA, FBI, FDA, FEMA and IRS.

A student walks through security at Columbia University.

Policy Change

In an updated Feb. 11 statement, Columbia said the Career Design Lab website will now feature only events organized directly by SPS. Students and alumni, however, will still be able to access the broader set of external opportunities through the 12twenty platform.

Faculty Concerns and Public Reaction

"Promoting the expo undermines campus trust, makes parts of our community feel targeted or unsafe, and further damages Columbia’s public standing by reinforcing the view that we are complicit in the turn towards authoritarianism," an unnamed faculty coalition told the press. "Silence will be read as consent," the statement added.

Supporters of keeping the listing available argued students should retain access to information about federal law enforcement careers. Rich Candia, a retired schoolteacher quoted by amNY, said the move limited students' choices: "There’s going to be opposition to many issues, but by not promoting the federal government’s event, they are denying the sector of students who may have a profound interest in this particular livelihood."

What This Means

The incident highlights tensions on college campuses about when university channels for student opportunities cross into perceived political endorsement. Columbia's policy change aims to make clearer which listings are university-curated while preserving student access to external job and recruitment resources through third-party platforms.