With the dramatic increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the country, the question of ICE entering college campuses remains. While there are no confirmed occurrences of agents going onto campuses, it may be only a matter of time. Colleges across the country are releasing statements to staffers that advise them what to do when agents try to interfere with students.
Keene State released a memo just like this late last week, guiding professors and other staff members about what to do when interacting with ICE agents. The memo counsels staff members not to accept warrants, subpoenas or grant access to private or restricted areas without talking to the school’s lawyers first. If the agents will not take no for an answer, staff are asked not to push back. There would be no surprise though if agents put up a fight.
The memo reminds us that Keene State is public property, so while ICE agents may not be welcomed on campus, they do have a right to be there. However, dorms and restricted lab areas are the only places ICE agents are not allowed, unless a warrant is shown with all the correct information, including the correct spelling of the individual’s name, correct address and most importantly a judge has signed it.
Trump wasted no time when he got into office, as most of us can agree. From his previous term, the knowledge he is not a fan of undocumented immigrants was not hidden. In his second term not only is he letting us know, but he is also acting on it.
On the second day of his presidency, Trump’s office rescinded protection of immigrants in “sensitive areas.” This includes churches, hospitals, schools and college campuses.
During Biden’s presidency, he reinstated a former policy, mandating that immigration enforcement operations should not take place in or near locations that are considered “essential” to an individual’s everyday life.
This guideline states, “We can accomplish our enforcement mission without denying or limiting individuals’ access … Adherence to this principle is one bedrock of our stature as public servants.”
Our country has over 400,000 students (about half the population of Delaware) who are considered undocumented. That comes with increasing anxiety along with false alarms on campuses. Two students at Temple University were arrested for impersonating ICE agents. While the concept of individuals doing this for fun is hard to grasp, it is not as jarring to hear now as it would have been just a few months ago.
Last week in New Hampshire, there was a bill passed that would ban “sanctuary cities” policies in the state. It was a 351-6 vote. Only six Democrats voted no, while those who voted yes said they voted in favor due to the bill’s stricter alternative. Nevertheless, the House Republicans were delighted with the vote.
Majority Leader Jason Osbourne said in a statement released after the vote, “Today House Republicans resoundingly and unanimously voted to ban dangerous and lawless sanctuary city policies and to keep our schools from being used as housing for illegal aliens.”
It continues, “Our position is clear: We will not allow our communities to be overrun by illegal aliens.”
The overrun communities and schools housing undocumented citizens have yet to be identified.
With this bill passed with no debate, New Hampshire residents cannot ignore Trump’s political scape creeping into their home state.
We are supposed to be the “Live Free or Die” state, showing our individuality, yet we are following the trend of unjust prejudice sweeping the country.
Alice Whittemore can be contacted at
awhittemore@kscequinox.com
