Above photo: By Brittany Bedi, WCTV.
Tallahassee, FL – On February 20, Students for a Democratic Society, College Progressives, 1000 Poets, Women’s March Florida, Advocates for Refugee and Immigrant Rights, and the National Liberation for Women rallied to send a message that immigrants and refugees are welcome here! They want the FSU administration to declare itself a sanctuary campus, and send a message to all immigrants and refugees at FSU that they will be protected.
Students across the country have been organizing to have their campuses declared as sanctuaries. Trump’s administration has begun to arrest undocumented immigrants, and Trump has stated he intends to repeal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which protects many immigrants throughout the United States including students at FSU.
Here are the specific demands:
1) Reaffirm the University’s non-discrimination policy that explicitly states the application of rules and practices are to be applied equally regardless of race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information and veteran status.
2) Guarantee the protection of undocumented and (HB851) DREAM Students.
3) Guarantee FSUPD & other FSU agencies respect student privacy by refusing to release information regarding the immigration status of community members to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or permit ICE officers to enter campus. (https://www.ice.gov/doclib/er
4) Guarantee that all established and available resources at FSU for undocumented students and community members are protected and supported to ensure their continued efforts in years to come.
5) Guarantee that any private tuition assistance for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or undocumented student has already been awarded will not be withheld or revoked on the basis of their legal status.
6) Instruct the Office of Student Financial Affairs to guarantee domestic tuition rates to previously qualified DACA recipients and undocumented students in accordance with the HB851 law of the State of Florida.
7) Extend, protect, and voice support of the FSU Legal Services Center program to undocumented students and their families.
8) Assure that all students receive a campus, classroom, and community experience free of hostilities, aggressions, and bullying by publicizing the campus-wide anonymous reporting mechanism.
Following the rally, a vote was held on a referendum to make FSU a sanctuary campus. It passed, with a 66.1% Yes vote. The referendum was part of the Spring 2017 Student Government Association elections at Florida State University.
The referendum language read as follows:
“We the students of Florida State University believe in maintaining equality of access to higher education for all students. We therefore support the classification of Florida State University as a sanctuary campus for undocumented students. In particular, we want the FSU administration to guarantee that no FSU agencies will release the immigration status of students to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or allow ICE to come on campus. We also want the FSU administration to guarantee that undocumented students residing in Florida will continue to receive in-state tuition waivers. Do you Agree?”
“We are very glad to see our efforts were rewarded tonight, after weeks collecting over 700 petition signatures and campaigning on campus. However, the fight is not over. We need the FSU administration and President John Thrasher to acknowledge our referendum and declare FSU a sanctuary campus. Immigrants on campus are uncertain about their futures and worried about how Trump’s policies will affect them. Declaring our campus a sanctuary is the first step to showing that immigrants are cared for and will be protected here” said Katherine Draken, President of the FSU chapter of Students for a Democratic Society.