Last Friday, UNM students, faculty and staff joined forces during a teach-in at Ortega Hall, which entailed a panel discussion on the potential steps the University can take to protects its undocumented students.
The discussion focused on the current state of DACA — or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — and the ongoing campaign to make UNM a sanctuary campus.
But what exactly does the concept of “sanctuary campus,” entail, and how could it tangibly help undocumented students?
“The notion of making UNM a sanctuary campus would bring students a deep sense of security that is highly needed during these times of uncertainty,” said panelist Cindy Nava, a UNM graduate student who is herself undocumented. “UNM has been a state-wide leader in supporting Dreamer/DACA students, and thus, moving forward with this initiative would strengthen UNM’s exemplary role of standing for all New Mexican students.”
Two weeks ago, a petition with over 1,000 signatures from across the UNM community was presented to President Bob Frank, urging administration to make UNM a sanctuary campus: a space for undocumented students, faculty and staff to be protected from “unfair deportation, investigation or other forms of intimidation.”
Rebecca Shreiber, an American Studies professor, said that UNM isn’t the only institution seeking sanctuary campus status. Far from it, in fact, as nearly 120 other colleges across the country have submitted similar petitions to their administrations.
30 colleges have achieved the status, meaning they have adopted policies that protect their undocumented students. Whether that happens at UNM remains to be seen, but Schreiber explained at the teach-in that potential policies could include preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to enter campus, and not inquiring about the status of students.
The teach-in continued to cover what concerned UNM faculty — of which there were dozens at the event — can do to stand in solidarity with their undocumented students. Space in the room where the panel was held came to be standing room only, hinting at the number of faculty who support their undocumented students in the wake of an uncertain future under a Donald Trump administration.
During the teach-in, Nava said, “as an undocumented person with undocumented family members, I’ve never been able to identify with the word ‘unafraid,’ but I haven’t let fear drive me.”
She said the state and UNM have given her many opportunities to succeed.
UNM alumni Jazmin Acosta and Chantel Trujillo are ENLACE New Mexico Student Success Initiatives Coordinators who attended the event. ENLACE is a New Mexico initiative that focuses on access to education.
Trujillo described the event as an “important dialogue.”
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“But it’s also frustrating, because I feel like these are initiatives that should already be in place here,” she said. “We’ve had undocumented students at UNM for a really long time...despite the new leadership in our country, I feel a little bit frustrated, but I’m also glad that these conversations are happening, because I do know that there’s a lot of people who are fearful right now.”
New Mexico State officials in Las Cruces recently said they would not name NMSU a sanctuary campus, but Santa Fe Community College administration approved the adopting of such a status last week.
“I just feel...these students should feel safe already. It was a good start, but we need to get to the action plan. We need an answer now, and we can’t just be waiting,” Acosta said.
Frank attended the first half of the teach-in, but left after about an hour.
Although he called the meeting “educational,” Acosta — as well as others in attendance — rhetorically asked where he had to go that was more important than the discussion at hand.
“I think we all had the same reaction, like where is he going?” Acosta said.
Communications Advisor Steve Carr later said Frank “had another appointment” on Friday, and that it is common for the president to leave one event early in order to attend another.
The discussion also brought about an important and relevant point that many faculty were surprised to learn: Frank is one of 400 university presidents nationwide that have signed a letter supporting the continuation of DACA, a mark of support in itself for UNM’s undocumented students.
Acosta speculated about why so many were unaware of that fact.
“If it was something negative, it would probably be all over the news or something. But since it’s for the protection of our students, I guess it wasn’t given that much importance,” she said.
Nava said she hopes the audience walked away with information and inspiration.
“We live in a majority-minority border state, which is comprised of an incredibly large population of immigrants who contribute to our state and national economy day by day,” she said. “DACA students are leaders, innovators and change-makers, and we contribute to the development and growth of institutions like UNM day by day.”
Events like these inform the UNM community on how they can be of help to undocumented communities, said New Mexico Rep. Javier Martinez, D-NM, who also sat on the panel.
“Furthermore, it brings together a wide range of people across campus to begin to organize what a sanctuary campus can look like,” he said. “UNM needs to take a stance on this issue and ensure undocumented students and communities that they are welcomed and protected at the University. This is an issue that affects undocumented communities and citizens alike.”
During the second half of the meeting, Jozi De Leon of the UNM Division for Equity and Inclusion, said although she cannot confirm a date that the University will officially decide on potentially accepting the moniker of sanctuary campus, she could confirm that it is under legal review with the University council.
There will be a follow-up faculty meeting on Dec. 12 for the UNM community. Some individuals are also planning on writing a follow-up letter to the president.
Elizabeth Sanchez is a reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Beth_A_Sanchez.
