Dive Brief:
- Stricter immigration policies under the Trump administration is concerning industry officials, particularly at community colleges. Since these schools tend to have more open admissions policies, they enroll more undocumented students, according to the New York Times.
- Representatives at both four-year institutions and community colleges say their mission is to provide an education to any student. Several have taken precautions against policy changes making their undocumented students vulnerable by, for example, developing support centers or reaching out to immigrant students and letting them know they are protected.
- Several colleges have policies that say any warrant from immigration officials must go directly to the president of an institution before further steps are taken, Judy C. Miner, chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District in California and past chairman of the American Council on Education, told the Times.
Dive Insight:
The official policy of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is to not be active on campuses except in cases where there is a safety threat. “Enforcement actions are not to occur” at schools, according to the agency’s Sensitive Locations policy, “to ensure that people seeking to participate in activities or utilize services provided at any sensitive location are free to do so, without fear or hesitation.” While the Department of Homeland Security has said that the policy would “remain in effect," officials are concerned new efforts under the Trump administration might change those approaches.
In response, some university officials are considering their campuses sanctuary sites to protect immigrants, including New York University, Portland State University and the University of Pennsylvania, declaring that ICE agents will need a court order to come onto their campuses. Others are offering other supports but not interfering. Princeton University and Syracuse University don't embrace the "sanctuary" label, and have warned students that their colleges must comply with federal immigration law.