Should ISU be declared a 'sanctuary campus'?

Student leaders at Iowa State University will discuss Wednesday whether to ask President Steve Leath to have the Ames-based university be declared a "sanctuary campus."

During its regularly scheduled Wednesday meeting, the ISU Student Government Senate will consider a resolution that calls on Leath and his administration "to extend every effort possible to ensure that all students, without documentation of citizenship or otherwise, be given equal opportunity admission into Iowa State University."

The proposed resolution was introduced during the student senate's Feb. 8 meeting by Roberto Ortiz, a student senator who represents the ISU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It was offered as a means of support for students who qualify for the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program as well as for any other ISU students who lack proper immigration documentation.

The week before Ortiz introduced the resolution Iowa lawmakers advanced a bill in the Statehouse seeking to limit cities, counties and public universities from enacting so-called "sanctuary" policies that create "safe havens" for undocumented immigrants.

The legislation would prohibit the state, cities, counties and public universities from enacting policies that:

• Prohibit law enforcement officials from gathering information regarding the citizenship or immigration status of individuals.
• Direct law enforcement agencies not to gather that information.
• Prohibit the communication of that information to federal law enforcement.

Ortiz has since amended his resolution to clarify that the applicable definition of "sanctuary campus" for ISU would include provisions "never to defy federal law."

Previous coverage:

• Anti-sanctuary city bill targeting cities, universities advances
• Iowa State pledges to help students, regardless of status
• Most Iowa campuses stop short of declaring 'sanctuary' status

ISU Student Government President Cole Staudt, who said he has not yet made up his mind on the proposed resolution, said he has been hearing from many students both supportive of and concerned about the proposal.

“If Iowa State were to declare itself a sanctuary campus — which the student government cannot do by itself — we put ourselves at risk if the federal government or the state government decides they want to punish cities or state agencies that declare themselves sanctuary," Staudt said. "… On the other side of the coin, these students are people, too. They should be welcome as part of the university’s mission.”

ISU officials issued a campuswide statement after November's presidential election clarifying that they will continue to offer support and resources to all university students regardless of immigration status.

That statement, however, also clarified that Leath does not have the authority to declare the campus a sanctuary. Instead, according to the statement, ISU administrators must operate within the policies and guidelines established by the Iowa Board of Regents.

Most colleges and universities in Iowa have walked a similar line between pledging to support all students — regardless of immigration status — while stopping short of invoking the politically charged word "sanctuary."

Student government leaders at the University of Iowa, for example, are scheduled Tuesday to discuss resolutions in support of DACA students, but they are not currently pursuing the sanctuary label.

"We feel it's more important to ensure our affected students are safe and protected, which can be done without the vague label," said Rachel Zuckerman, president of UI Student Government.

Undocumented students aren’t eligible for federal or state financial aid, but currently neither a Social Security number nor proof of citizenship is required for admission to any of Iowa's three public universities.

Iowa Code stipulates that all graduates of approved Iowa high schools who meet the minimum high school course requirements and achieve a score of at least 245 on the Regent Admission Index will be admitted to state universities.

Drake University in Des Moines, the state's largest private university, declared its campus as a "sanctuary" in November. President Marty Martin reiterated that policy last month, following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump to restrict entry into the U.S. from all refugees and residents of several predominately Muslim nations.

"We are and will be 'a place of refuge or safety' — our chosen definition of 'sanctuary' — for all of our students, faculty and staff," Martin wrote. "We will do all that we can, within the framework of the law, to defend our students’ and employees’ rights. We will protect private information. We will provide programming and education regarding immigrants’ rights. We will continue to advocate for our government’s policies to align with our nation’s best aspirations for equity, opportunity and inclusion."

Reach Jeff Charis-Carlson at jcharisc@press-citizen.com or 319-887-5435. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffCharis.