Sanctuary Campuses Carry Risks in Defying Trump

campus-sanctuary

Activists on campus are excited about defying Trump but reality should give pause to administrators.

From Real Clear Politics:

‘Sanctuary Campuses’ Defy Trump — Though at a RiskWith the Trump administration’s immigration policy taking shape and the threat of increased deportations looming, nearly a dozen colleges around the country have begun taking a cue from so-called sanctuary cities to shield their undocumented students. Calling themselves “sanctuary campuses,” these universities say they will refuse to aid federal officials in the event of a raid on their property.Yet the majority of the self-designated campuses have one thing in common: They are private schools. For the country’s undocumented students – over 90 percent of whom attend public institutions – these new havens would do little good.During a time when campuses have become the epicenter of anti-Trump protests, why haven’t public schools followed the lead of their private counterparts? The answer largely comes down to funding. While the sanctuary designation always comes with financial risks, those risks are greater if a college receives most of its funding through a state government.Eunice Cho, a staff attorney with the Immigrant Justice Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, says that because state universities are effectively run by governor-appointed boards of regents, there is a “direct political link” between those schools and state legislatures, which are more sensitive to political pressures. Private schools’ reliance on federal funding — removal of which would be difficult under current law — “gives them more autonomy and lets them provide additional safety procedures for their students.”

Tags: College Insurrection, Donald Trump

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