Students pass sanctuary campus referendum at Florida State University

On Feb. 22, students voted to make Florida State University (FSU) a sanctuary campus by a vote of 67%. The referendum vote was part of the Spring 2017 Student Government Association elections at FSU.

The referendum reads: “We the students of Florida State University believe in maintaining equality of access to higher education for all students. We therefore support the classification of Florida State University as a sanctuary campus for undocumented students. In particular, we want the FSU administration to guarantee that no FSU agencies will release the immigration status of students to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or allow ICE to come on campus. We also want the FSU administration to guarantee that undocumented students residing in Florida will continue to receive in-state tuition waivers. Do you agree?”

Katherine Draken, president of the FSU chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, stated, “We are very glad to see our efforts were rewarded tonight, after weeks collecting over 700 petition signatures and campaigning on campus. However, the fight is not over. We need the FSU administration and President John Thrasher to acknowledge our referendum and declare FSU a sanctuary campus.”

Draken continued, “Immigrants on campus are uncertain about their futures and worried about how Trump’s policies will affect them. Declaring our campus a sanctuary is the first step to showing that immigrants are cared for and will be protected here.”