Professors at the University of Illinois Springfield are circulating a petition to make the school a sanctuary campus for students living in the U.S. without legal permission.
Lynn Fisher, associate professor of sociology and anthropology, said Wednesday that the petition is being circulated because of statements made by President-elect Donald Trump.
“For example, (Trump) said he would repeal President Obama’s DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which helps many Illinois residents get access to a great public higher education,” Fisher said. “Also, there were references from President-elect Trump that he would consider creating a registry for Muslim citizens. We have many Muslim students. We think that these are issues a university campus has to look at.”
The petition, available at facebook.com/UISDiversityCenter, lists several measures, such as asking the university to adopt a resolution that effectively bans Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and other immigration officials from the campus.
The petition also requests that the university instruct its security and police force to not act on behalf of ICE or other immigration enforcement agents.
The petition drive in Springfield is being done in conjunction with the two other University of Illinois campuses in Urbana/Champaign and Chicago.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on November 30, 2016.
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