In a Feb. 1 email to the university community, President Robert Kelly reflected on recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action in Minneapolis.
“We stand in solidarity with immigrants and refugees,” Kelly said. “As a proudly American institution, we condemn acts by governmental actors that violate civil rights, discriminate against minoritized groups and offend our commitments to decency, equality and the rule of law.”
The email comes after a nationwide protest on Jan. 30 against ICE’s increased activity and escalating violence, including the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Kelly also shared a series of resources for community members for immigration support and federal enforcement encounters, as well as repeated the university’s protocol for federal enforcement action on campus. Kelly says that updated information and resources will be sent out to students by Student Affairs.
Kelly warned that “engaging in partisan politics” can lead to unwanted attention and be dangerous for vulnerable community members. However, he deemed using the university’s “institutional voice” necessary for the topic.
“Articulating UP's institutional voice is not only prudent, it is essential,” Kelly said. “Our distinctive, Catholic, Holy Cross identity compels us to help influence the conversation around these topics, serve our community members, and act with moral courage and clarity.”
Samantha Zavala is the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editor for The Beacon. She can be reached at zavala27@up.edu.
