Students petition to make UNT ‘sanctuary campus’ for illegal immigrants

Students are petitioning the administration of the University of North Texas to make the school a “sanctuary campus,” citing a “divisive election.”

The Denton Record-Chronicle reported that students created the petition asking UNT to emulate sanctuary cities, such as Los Angeles and Chicago, which stop the enforcement of immigration laws. According to the Texas Tribune, the term sanctuary city has no legal meaning, but has become “a rallying cry for many with concerns about illegal immigration.”

The letter reads, in part, “In the wake of the racially charged and divisive election the faculty, staff, and students of University of North Texas have come together to demand that our university take action and declare itself a sanctuary university,” according to the Denton newspaper.

The petition was prompted by President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promises regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants. The report quotes a UNT spokeswoman saying it’s early to speculate about what the immigration authorities will do, and that the safety of the UNT community is and will be a “top priority.”

Other universities around the country have made similar petitions or declarations of support, including at Texas State University and Texas A&M, according to reports.

This story was originally published November 30, 2016 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Students petition to make UNT ‘sanctuary campus’ for illegal immigrants."