The Trump administration is issuing executive orders that aggressively target vulnerable students, faculty, and staff—specifically international, undocumented, trans students, DACA recipients, and those engaged in pro-Palestine activism on campus.
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This isn't new. In 2016, Trump enacted policies like the "Muslim Ban" and targeted undocumented communities, prompting many colleges to pledge protection for students and refuse cooperation in such attacks.
This time, universities have largely remained silent. Some have even willingly adopted harmful policies from the Project 2025 playbook, exceeding their legal obligations and prioritizing anticipatory obedience to the far-right over their campus communities. This is unacceptable.
Here are 4 ways universities can put their students first:
1. Don’t Comply in advance:
Do not preemptively comply with apparent DEI, immigration, or antisemitism orders that lack definition, scope, and specificity.
Designate safe areas denying ICE entry without a warrant, protect student records, support visa processes, reject deportation actions, and implement ICE alerts with campus security to refuse voluntary cooperation.
Partner with immigrant and legal justice groups to offer Know Your Rights trainings on FERPA, sanctuary, and responding to ICE. Reaffirm students' right to protest, regardless of immigration status, as part of the university’s mission to educate future leaders.
Train Title VI officers to distinguish antisemitism from anti-Zionism, address anti-Palestinian & anti-Muslim racism, & recognize discrimination. Instruct university lobbyists to support vulnerable students & oppose laws targeting immigration status or activism.
Comments
1. Don’t Comply in advance:
Do not preemptively comply with apparent DEI, immigration, or antisemitism orders that lack definition, scope, and specificity.
Designate safe areas denying ICE entry without a warrant, protect student records, support visa processes, reject deportation actions, and implement ICE alerts with campus security to refuse voluntary cooperation.
Partner with immigrant and legal justice groups to offer Know Your Rights trainings on FERPA, sanctuary, and responding to ICE. Reaffirm students' right to protest, regardless of immigration status, as part of the university’s mission to educate future leaders.
Train Title VI officers to distinguish antisemitism from anti-Zionism, address anti-Palestinian & anti-Muslim racism, & recognize discrimination. Instruct university lobbyists to support vulnerable students & oppose laws targeting immigration status or activism.