Supporting undocumented members of our community and process reminder

Dear Campus Community:

Last week, one of the changes made by the new administration in Washington, D.C. was to end a policy that restricted federal agents from making immigration arrests at schools, including universities. Following this announcement, we have received several questions about the process for responding to law enforcement requests relevant to undocumented members of our community.

First, I want to take this opportunity to affirm our support of our international and undocumented students and members of our campus community. We will continue to do all we can — ethically, morally, and legally — to maintain that support.

Puget Sound protects the privacy of all members of the campus community in accordance with federal and state privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. We will not release information about the immigration status of students, faculty, or staff unless consent is given or we are compelled to do so by law. The university will do everything in its legal and moral authority to protect the privacy of our campus members.

As a reminder, we have a longstanding process for responding to federal, state, or local law enforcement requests. If you are contacted in person at your department or office by a law enforcement agent, immediately contact Security Services at 253.879.3311 to report the nature of the inquiry and request assistance. If you receive a written or phone request from a law enforcement agent, contact General Counsel at 253.879.2729 or generalcounsel@pugetsound.edu.

Please keep in mind that there are a variety of reasons that law enforcement officers could be on campus — from routine business needs to active investigations. If you have questions at any time, please contact Security Services. They are staffed 24/7.

Puget Sound provides resources to support those who may have concerns about their immigration status. For additional information, please contact Lorna Hernandez Jarvis, Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity at vpdiversity@pugetsound.edu. The University Chaplain is also available as a confidential resource to all members of the campus community.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I will be traveling to Washington, D.C. next week to meet with federal officials on both sides of the aisle to address this issue and others that impact us. On behalf of the University of Puget Sound, I look forward to being a voice for our community and the higher education sector.

Thank you again for your ongoing work to create a welcoming culture and sense of belonging on our campus.

Sincerely,

Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President