College Dems Petition for Protection from ICE Raids on Campus

To fight Trump’s crackdown on immigration, the UofA College Democrats are petitioning the University to not cooperate with ICE agents, to protect student information and to educate students, faculty and staff on their rights.

Under Trump, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested more than 3,500 unauthorized immigrants. The nationwide expansion of “expedited removal” allows officers to enter churches and schools to deport people without judicial review or access to counsel.

Any noncitizen found anywhere in the United States who cannot prove to the satisfaction of an ICE agent that they have been in the country for more than two years can be deported immediately.

Click here to sign the petition.

In a letter to UofA President Suresh Garimella, UA College Dems said,

“On January 21, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded its policy restricting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in sensitive areas such as schools, healthcare facilities, and places of worship. This reversal of policy allows DHS, ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to freely conduct operations in these previously protected areas, including college campuses such as ours. The University of Arizona must take action now to protect its students.”

“The current presidential administration has publicly committed to a nationwide mass deportation campaign, vowing to remove millions of undocumented individuals. To this end, ICE has broadened the scope and intensity of their operations across the country, fueling the racial profiling and harassment of non-white individuals. Attacks on immigrant communities threaten the well-being of students and families across Arizona, including those at our university.”

The University of Arizona, the first Arizona four-year public university designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), has a responsibility to shield students and faculty from profiling and intimidation. Non-citizen students, including DACA recipients and student visa holders, have invested significant resources in their education and deserve to finish their hard-earned degrees without the constant fear of immigration enforcement disrupting their lives.”

“By signing this petition, you are supporting student voices calling on the University of Arizona to take action to ensure that all students, regardless of immigration status, can learn in an environment free from intimidation and fear.”

Five-point petition

The student Dems set out five points in their petition to Garimella:

In response to threats of ICE activity on the University of Arizona campus, we urge you to protect students through the following actions:

1. Non-Cooperation with ICE: The University of Arizona will adopt a policy refusing to cooperate with DHS, including ICE, in any immigration enforcement activity unless compelled by a judicial warrant.

2. Protecting Student Data: The University of Arizona will prohibit disclosing any student information, including directory information and limited directory information defined under FERPA, to DHS unless compelled by a judicial warrant. The University of Arizona will not use the “health and safety” exception under FERPA to provide student information to DHS for the purpose of immigration enforcement.

3. Educating Students on Their Rights: The University of Arizona will immediately notify all students by publicizing ‘Know Your Rights’ information published on the University of Arizona Thrive Center Immigrant Student Resources webpage.

4. Training Faculty and Staff: The University of Arizona will issue an immediate directive to all faculty and staff on how to respond to DHS activity on campus. Faculty and staff will be required to deny federal law enforcement officers access to non-public spaces, students, and students’ information in all cases and instead refer them to the Office of University Counsel or another appropriate university office.

5. Public Commitment from the Administration: The University of Arizona will make a public statement affirming its commitment to a safe, educational environment for all students, regardless of their immigration status.

Click here to sign the petition.

I signed it, and I encourage you to do the same.