Following President Trump's decision on Wednesday to tighten immigration policies, a petitionis circulating the University at Buffalo community is asking President Tripathi to to make UB a sanctuary campus.
"UB is the largest public university in a state that is home to the nation's second-highest foreign-born population," the petition reads. "As teachers and advisors to over six thousand international students, we feel it is imperative to support our diverse global community at a moment when President Trump has proposed to deport or incarcerate millions of undocumented immigrants."
The petition continues to say UB would continue to be dedicated to the security of students protected by President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order, if it were a sanctuary campus.
"We believe such solidarity is essential if we are to live up to UB's mission of convening a 'diverse, inclusive, scholarly community dedicated to bringing the benefits of its research, scholarship and creative activity, and educational excellence to global and local communities in ways that impact and positively change the world.'"
In a statement from UB on executive actions affecting immigration, the campus is defined as an international community and a welcoming campus for students, faculty and visitors from across the globe.
"UB's international community benefits all of us, enhancing the diversity of our community, our global learning opportunities and the richness of our cultural and intellectual life," the statement from University Communications says.
According to the statement from University Communications, SUNY campus presidents do not have the legal authority to declare a school a sanctuary campus, but the SUNY Board of Trustees will evaluate the proposal in anticipation of a system-wide approach to address the concern if a concrete proposal for change to the DACA occurs under Trump's administration.
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