Editor’s note: This letter remains in the condition in which it was sent.
February 18, 2025
President Tripathi,
This is in response to your email on February 7th, 2025, “Update on Changing Federal Landscape.” The University at Buffalo has the largest percentage of international students of all SUNY campuses, by far. We are concerned and alarmed that you have not made a meaningful, clear, and public statement addressing the current political situation since the new U.S. administration took over on January 20th.
The election of Donald J. Trump explicitly promised horrible circumstances for all non-citizens and many marginalized communities. The new administration is certainly keeping these promises. Our non-citizen neighbors, students, colleagues, and their families are, more than ever, in a very precarious position. So, given that we have not heard anything from you about this issue, we thought it would be pertinent to ask our administration what your position is on the safety of our immigrant community on campus. We have specific questions on the following:
1. Does our campus have a policy of non-cooperation with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and other DHS agencies?
2. Is there a plan in place for the event that ICE wants to enter our campus?
3. What private/limited spaces can campus authorities make available where ICE agents cannot enter if they have only a civil or administrative (non-judicial) warrant?
4. Will the administration commit to not disclosing students’ and employees’ personal information from immigration enforcement agencies?
5. Can we get a commitment from the university police force that they will not cooperate with ICE?
6. What campus authority should students contact if they are contacted by ICE?
7. Are you planning to communicate with students and employees about their privacy rights? These rights include the right to deny immigration officers entry to their homes (on and off campus, including dorms) when officers have only a civil or administrative (non-judicial) warrant, and the right to not respond to the questions or statements of an immigration officer who is seeking to enter their home without a judicial warrant.
8. Are you planning to communicate guidance that, if a federal immigration officer seeks to enter a limited access area on campus, students and workers should ask the officer for their name, identification number, agency affiliation, and business card, and inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but need to contact a supervisor?
We certainly hope that, without a judicial warrant, ICE will not be able to enter our campus, that our university police will not cooperate with ICE, and that a plan or protocol has been put in place in case there is such an attempt from ICE. If a policy of non-cooperation with ICE exists, we would appreciate it if you could share it with the campus community as soon as possible and would be thankful if you can give guidance on our own role in it, as faculty, students, and staff.
We are particularly concerned about police action during a possible raid; during the arrests of May 1st, several UB staff were seen inquiring about the immigration status of protestors. Fortunately, the event ended with no deportations of students or community members. We are very lucky this is the case. Going forward, we may not be so lucky, and would prefer to know that UB explicitly stands with and commits to protecting its students and employees unequivocally.
We want to also use this space to remind you and our colleagues that New York State, our employer, has a policy in place, Executive Order 170.1, which was ratified by Governor Hochul on January 16 of this year. Two of the central provisions in that Executive Order read:
1. Identification and Notification. Federal immigration authorities must identify themselves to execute a civil arrest or conduct any related civil enforcement activity. Authorities that do not identify themselves or provide notice of an intent to engage in civil enforcement activity should be asked to leave the premises immediately upon detection.
A SUNY campus/state agency is a private property owner and may set the terms and conditions of access to state facilities and the conduct of individuals therein.
2. Warrant Presentation. Federal immigration authorities must present a valid judicial warrant signed by a federal district court or magistrate judge prior to engaging in any enforcement activity, including interrogations and searches of persons or property. Such activity is limited to the individual(s) named in the warrant and may only occur after a designated supervisor has determined that the federal immigration agent(s) has satisfactorily complied with the identification, notice, and warrant presentation requirements of the Executive Order.
Federal immigration agents who refuse to comply with the identification, notice, or warrant presentation requirements outlined herein should be treated as unlawful trespassers.
We are living through dark times, especially in terms of respect for human rights and dignity, in this country and across the world. In SUNY’s mission statement, one can read that the system’s goal is “to provide to the people of New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population.” Additionally, UB’s mission statement lists “promot[ing] a university-wide culture of equity and inclusion” as one of their four main goals. Neither of these statements can be adequately realized if marginalized students and employees live in fear. Underrepresented and overpoliced communities, which SUNY claims to represent, deserve to have their questions answered and their rights affirmed.
We are people, not papers.
Sincerely,
Maureen Milligan, spokesperson, Buffalo SUNY Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS)
UB Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA)
UB Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Alliance (LGBTA)
Communist Student League (CSL)
Photo: Paul Hokanson / UB Athletics
