The policy director says andnbsp that campus officials really own” a clear plan in place” in place in case an ICE official shows up.
Following President Donald Trump’s most new executive orders, universities should create immigration task forces, release campus protocols, and train staff and students for possible ICE encounters, according to an alliance of university leaders during a new policy briefing.
Presidents ‘ Alliance Executive Director Miriam Feldblum urged attendees to shape “immigration working groups” to target” contact advice” and” help non-citizen kids”.
” ]I ] ndividuals from campus safety, legal counsel, international students, the faculty, student affairs, mental health, housing, all different components of a campus really can be involved” in the task forces, Feldblum said.
” It’s important then to establish when, how, and what you’ll communicate, particularly with straight impacted populations, possibly effected populations, but also across campus”, she said.
The briefing was held in response to President Donald Trump’s recent “executive orders and other Administrative actions, including the rescission of the’ sensitive locations ‘ policy, suspension of refugee admissions, ]and ] enhanced screening and vetting for visa applicants”, according to the webinar’s Zoom description.
Diego Sánchez, director of policy and strategy, said one of the “main issues” with Trump’s new immigration policy is the “rescission of the sensitive location policy”.
Cornell Law Professor Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer said the rescinded policy had restricted immigration enforcement at schools, churches, and hospitals. She said that ICE may launch enforcement efforts on campuses as a result of this policy’s change.
Now, “agencies are supposed to use common sense in deciding whether or not to go into these sensitive spaces, and so that’s a pretty big shift from prior administrations”, Kelley-Widmer said.
” So they can enter campuses and make arrests. Federal agents may enter any public space without a warrant or other types of authorization, she said.
Additionally, Campus Officials should have” a clear plan in place” in case” an ICE officer shows up,” according to Director of State Policy Monica Andrade.
“[T]he could include having a designated point of contact, whether that’s campus security or the Office of the General Counsel or another accountable department is really going to handle these requests,” Andrade said.
MORE: Higher ed group worries about Trump’s immigration plans
” Frontline staff, faculty, and students shouldn’t be put in a position where they have to check whether ICE has the necessary authority to enter,” she said. ” Instead, they should be trained to follow a protocol, then direct the officer to the designated point of contact, and then notify the appropriate person immediately”.
She also suggested that colleges “provide staff with the script so that they know exactly what to say in those circumstances.”
If ICE agents do show up on campus, they may show a warrant, but it might only be an administrative warrant, which does not require compliance. A judicial warrant, however, is issued by a court and must be followed, Kelley-Widmer said.
Sánchez asked Kelley-Widmer if students could “refuse to allow ICE into their private residences including dorm rooms, resident halls, and off-campus housing …”
” Absolutely”, Kelley-Widmer said. However, in such situations, students should be given prepared responses, she said.
To wrap up the briefing, Feldblum presented the results of a poll conducted at the start of the meeting that looked at the responses universities have received to President Trump’s immigration orders.
Of the 384 respondents, 57 % said their campuses have either updated guidance or issued a statement.
Meanwhile, less than half of respondents said they have an immigration working group. In response to the findings, Feldblum said,” So there are actions that people can take now.
” Please also focus on your non-citizen employees who may also be directly or non-directly impacted”, she said.
In response to questions about the higher education group’s recommendations, a President’s Alliance spokesperson referred The Fix to an FAQ document and news release from the organization.
The Alliance has “grave concerns about the negative effects” of President Trump’s immigration policies, according to the news release.
These measures “risk risk wasting the potential of talented students and compromising the academic standing of colleges and universities,” it states.
Further, the FAQ document states that “institutions should share policies, protocols … on responding to federal immigration enforcement on campus”.
” To protect sensitive information, campuses may consider limiting access to these materials ( e. g., password-protected access ) so that they are available only to campus community members”, the document states.
In line with the Presidents ‘ Alliance recommendations, Stanford University’s undergraduate senate voted to” support and increase” resources for illegal immigrant students, The College Fix previously reported..
However, the Trump administration has indicated that its priority is to deport violent criminals.
Former immigration judge Art Arthur previously told The Fix that” the primary focus of any deportation plan is going to be on aliens who pose a national security risk.”  ,
MORE: Universities benefit from illegal immigration – here’s how
IMAGE: Presidents ‘ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
Follow The College Fix on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
