The University of Maryland SGA unanimously passed an emergency act Wednesday urging this university to take immediate action to provide protections for international, immigrant and undocumented students.
The act demands this university implement measures such as creating clear protocols for responding to ICE-related incidents and refusing voluntary disclosure of student records.
The act comes after United States President Donald Trump signed 10 executive orders about immigration during his first week in office. The Trump administration announced in January that federal immigration agencies may make arrests at “sensitive locations” including schools, churches and hospitals, the Associated Press reported on Jan. 22.
“We have new updates every day, new executive orders every day,” Student Government Association president and senior criminology and criminal justice major Reese Artero told The Diamondback on Thursday. “There’s always something changing, and so we need as best as possible to provide that sense of community and uniformity for folks.”
The act demands this university deny ICE officials access to nonpublic campus areas, including the spring career fair.
ICE was originally scheduled as an employer at the career fair on Feb. 27 and 28 before this university decided Thursday that the University Career Center would no longer host the agency, according to a university statement to The Diamondback.
[UMD to no longer host ICE as employer at spring career fair]
SGA’s act did not affect this university’s updated change regarding ICE’s presence at the career fair, this university confirmed Thursday evening.
This university also released updated guidance Thursday regarding interactions with federal immigration enforcement officers on campus. This university shared an earlier set of guidelines for faculty and staff interactions with ICE and Office of Inspector General agents on Jan. 31.
Wednesday’s act called for several action items, including calling for the SGA to generate a list of legal, housing, food and immigration-related resources for students, faculty and staff.
The act also called for the launch of a “Know Your Rights” campaign, which would require SGA members to work with campus groups and legal experts to compile materials for immigrant, undocumented and international students, as well as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients.
[UMD shares guidance for interactions with federal immigration enforcement officers]
Student affairs committee co-director Imaan Shikoh said the campaign’s goal is to make resources more accessible by creating a central place to compile them.
“The university does offer a lot of resources that students just aren’t aware of,” the senior public policy major told The Diamondback Wednesday.
The act also urges this university to expand the Student Crisis Fund — a university program that provides aid to students in unanticipated emergencies — to cover legal costs as relief for students who face risks of detainment or deportation.
The legislation calls on this university to ensure professors and faculty are trained on protections for students if ICE shows up.
Oakland representative Benjamin Nathan said SGA’s act is important so people can understand their legal protections.
“These are scary times for a lot of students at the university,” the sophomore computer science major said. “Not just students who are undocumented but also students who have friends or family who are in difficult situations.”
