Following last month’s inauguration, President Donald Trump has pushed out a torrent of executive orders in the following weeks, with several orders aimed at carrying out mass deportation raids. In response to these orders, GW must declare itself a “sanctuary campus” as a commitment to fostering a safe environment where its students can learn without fear of being arrested, regardless of immigration status.
Since last week the Trump administration has initiated raids in major metropolitan areas, like Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami, with reports of D.C. being next on the list. Since Inauguration Day, the administration has made more than 2,600 arrests nationwide. Trump also overhauled a policy previously prohibiting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting arrests in “sensitive areas,” like schools, churches and hospitals that would usually provide safety, resources and temporary relief for undocumented community members. After all of Trump’s actions, fear has pushed the immigrant community to reconsider even attending school or work.
This stirs up questions over the need for sanctuary areas, a term that has no universal definition but generally refers to states, cities or campuses that put limits on their cooperation with federal deportation efforts. This would mean the local jurisdiction would provide support for undocumented migrants by adopting policies aimed at limiting cooperation with ICE as much as legally possible. This could include requiring warrants for arrests on private property or limiting information sharing between local agencies and ICE about undocumented immigrants.
In 2017, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed D.C.’s status as a sanctuary city, awarding grants to nonprofits and lawyers representing immigrants in the city who were facing deportation. Just as D.C. has enacted policies to protect vulnerable populations from federal immigration enforcement, GW should similarly create policies that foster a sense of security for its diverse student bodies.
GW’s campus is home to over 27,000 students with 47 percent identifying as people of color. The University also fosters a considerable international presence, with around 13 percent of its student population coming from overseas. This diverse community makes GW especially vulnerable to potential federal actions targeting immigrant populations, not to mention that Trump will live blocks away from our campus for the next four years.
After the 2016 presidential election, similar fears surrounding immigration also raised conversations regarding sanctuary campuses. The University of Pennsylvania declared itself a sanctuary campus in 2017, refusing to allow ICE on campus without warrants. Additionally, GW students protested in response to Trump’s first term, advocating for the University to declare itself a sanctuary campus after Trump attempted to terminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). These requests were met with staunch inaction from the University, but this time around GW can actually act.
GW has made efforts to inform students about the risk posed to immigrants by uploading “Know Your Rights” posters on its website in the past few weeks. A page on the GW Office of Vice President and General Counsel’s website outlines what students should do in the event of unannounced visits from federal agents. University President Ellen Granberg also sent out an email last week stating that GW is bracing for the “significant implications” of the Trump presidency.
These statements and resources should be followed by a call to action, a plan on how the University specifically intends to manage the inevitable domino effect of Trump’s orders. Granberg’s email would have been more meaningful had it notified students of the legal resources available on the OGC website. Informing the student body of their rights is important, but information goes unnoticed or unenforced without any substantial effort to fortify it during these uncertain times. All of the aforementioned resources and information are buried in the University webpages, not easily found unless students are specifically searching for them, which increases the chances that students may be unaware of or misinterpret the policies properly.
By declaring itself a sanctuary campus, however, the University would send a clear, active message of solidarity, guaranteeing officials will enforce safeguards set in place for students facing immigration-related challenges. The University is capable of taking practical steps to guarantee that it remains compliant with the law while still providing critical protections. GW should make a public statement affirming they will reduce compliance with ICE, making it abundantly clear they will require agents to have a warrant before making arrests on school property and prohibit law enforcement from detaining or questioning students without proper authorization. Students deserve to pursue higher education on their campus without fear of facing arrest or scrutiny. While GW has never been raided before, the recent actions of this presidential administration have been unprecedented, and this is the University’s chance to be proactive.
GW must stay true to its commitment to fostering an environment where all students feel safe to learn and take the opportunity to take a stand on a national stage. Declaring itself a sanctuary campus would be a powerful statement of the University’s commitment to justice in the face of political instability.
Cecilia Palumbo, a junior majoring in political science, is an opinions writer.