On Tuesday night, Wake Forest University Student Government Association passed a resolution to encourage President Hatch to designate Wake Forest University a “Sanctuary Campus.” The resolution was submitted by Student Body President Jordan Monaghan and passed in a 39-1 vote.
The resolution asked that Wake Forest University adopt a written policy confirming its status as a “Sanctuary Campus” and ensures that student privacy remains guaranteed by refusing all voluntary information sharing with ICE/Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) across all aspects of the University to the fullest possible extent under the law.
They also requested that Wake Forest refuse ICE physical access without a warrant to all land owned and controlled by the University. Lastly, the resolution asked that the University prohibits campus security from inquiring about or recording an individual’s immigration status or enforcing immigration laws or participating with ICE/CBP in actions. You can read the full resolution here.
The SGA meeting came in the wake of an email from President Hatch where he declined to sign a petition that asked for Wake Forest to become a sanctuary campus. You can read our full article on the President’s email here.
The meeting on Tuesday night began with Margaret Taylor, an immigration lawyer and a faculty member at the law school, addressing the Student Body Senate and answering questions about how the resolution, if passed, could become University policy.
While she said that the University was within its rights to prohibit campus security from inquiring about or recording an individual’s immigration status and participating in joint actions with ICE or CBP, she said that restricting information sharing and not allowing ICE physical access to land owned by the University would be more difficult.
After Taylor’s testimony and the reading of the resolution, the floor was opened for debate and discussion. Several students encouraged student senators to pass the bill, including an undocumented student. After debate and discussion, senators voted by standing after failed motions to have constituents leave the room for the vote and to vote via a paper ballot. The final vote was 39 for the resolution and 1 against, with several senators abstaining. The entire proceeding was broadcasted live on Facebook and can be watched below.
