We write this statement following the concerning developments in the federal administration’s persecution under the guise of immigration enforcement. In Minnesota, North Carolina and other states, ICE operations have targeted university campuses. All students require protection from ICE, regardless of immigration status, as ICE detention and violence, including fatal violence, are a possibility for peaceful protesters, citizens, and immigrants with legal status. Furthermore, we see any person, regardless of legal status, as worthy of dignity and protection from lawless violent persecution, which has often flown in the face of the fourth amendment, as well as judicial and congressional oversight. Defending Fordham’s community is thus our legal and moral responsibility, as well as part of our responsibility to uphold Fordham’s Jesuit values - including human dignity and protecting the foreigner. Fordham has historically been committed to caring for immigrants. It has continuously reiterated this commitment, including in its support for the DREAM act and allowing dreamers to attend Fordham, and recently in statements by our president. The lesson we learned from community responses in Minnesota and throughout the country is that the best way to defend our community is to be prepared and committed to help each other. To that effect, we put forward this proposal for how the university should prepare for any potential escalation by ICE within its jurisdiction. 

Fordham must loudly and clearly protect its undocumented, international, and mixed-status students and workers. We, the undersigned members and supporters of the Fordham community, call on University leadership to adopt binding, enforceable sanctuary protections that ensure our campuses are places of safety, dignity, and transparency for all.

Sanctuary must be more than an internal guideline or public statement. It must be bargained, funded, and enforceable. Fordham’s current approach centers legal review and compliance with law-enforcement requests but does not prohibit voluntary cooperation with immigration enforcement, guarantee notice and transparency, or create binding protections that cannot be changed unilaterally. A real sanctuary requires clear non-cooperation, privacy protections, workplace safeguards, and material support written into enforceable agreements.

We urge Fordham University to adopt the following community-wide sanctuary protections:

1) Public sanctuary declaration and non-cooperation. Fordham must publicly declare itself a Sanctuary Campus and prohibit any voluntary cooperation with ICE or other immigration enforcement agencies absent a signed judicial warrant or court order. The University must not voluntarily share information, grant access to facilities, participate in joint operations, or permit entry to classrooms, residences, offices, or campus spaces without a judicial warrant and University counsel present. When information is legally compelled, affected individuals must receive timely notice.

2) Privacy and data protections. Fordham must not disclose immigration status, visa information, addresses, schedules, or records except where legally required. The University must minimize collection and retention of immigration-related data and refuse compliance with politically motivated directives targeting non-citizens or protest activity.

3) Clear campus protocols. All immigration-related requests must be routed through the Office of General Counsel. Community members should be instructed to contact General Counsel—not Public Safety—if approached by immigration agents. The University must provide mandatory annual Know-Your-Rights trainings for students, faculty, staff, and campus police and post sanctuary protocol signage and materials across campus buildings and residence halls.

4) Legal and material support. Fordham must provide fully funded immigration legal services for students and employees, establish emergency legal defense and support funds, and ensure confidential advising and rapid-response support for affected community members.

5) Transparency and oversight. The University must issue annual public reports on immigration-related requests and its responses, create a campus sanctuary oversight committee that includes students, faculty, staff, and unions, and provide regular public updates on implementation.

6) Community protections. Fordham must not participate in federal registries or data-sharing programs targeting non-citizens. The University must protect expressive activity and protest regardless of citizenship status and ensure ongoing access to legal and community resources.

Bottom line: sanctuary cannot be symbolic or discretionary. It must mean non-cooperation, privacy, transparency, and real support for every member of the Fordham community.

We, the undersigned, call on Fordham University to adopt these binding sanctuary protections immediately and to work with students, workers, faculty, and unions to ensure they are fully implemented and enforceable.

To sign this petition as an organization, email fordhamgraduatestudentworkers@gmail.com

Organization Signatories:

Fordham Graduate Student Workers, Fordham YDSA, Philsoc, Caribbean & African Students Association (CASA), Astronomy Club, Society of Physics Students, Students for Environmental Action and Justice (SEAJ), Fordham Palestine Solidarity Network (PSN), Rodrigue's Coffee House, Fordham Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine, The Editorial Board of the paper, Lincoln Center Art Club

Bahadır Eren Çatal
Maria Hurtarte Leon
Adelaide Greig
Uttara Rangarajan
Amadeo De La Pava
Corinna Cape
Diyanshu Emandi
Colleen McCafferty, Alumni Rose Hill College 2005
Tatyana Bidopia
Brianna Pastro, Fordham Department of Psychology
Christoph Rosa, Psychology Department
Anna Von Holten, English MA Student
Valeria Carballo, Alumni
Isabelle Petersen, Fordham Alum
Margaret Benda
Roxana Cuevas Cruz
Jordan Smith
Daniel Heffernan, Fordham University
Mary Nriagu
Abigail Falato
Amal Zaman
Ara Tandon
Mst Nur E Taj Tamanna
Stafford Davis
Satori Awuma, Fordham Undergraduate
Robert Schultz, National Writers Union, FCRH '70, Fordham SDS Alumni Affinity Chapter
Emily Green
Diego Henesy
Jael Perez, Fordham
Diane Detournay, Fordham University
Lois Harr, Fordham alumna
James Gonzalez
Anousheh Naqvi
Leona Gjevukaj
Daniela Munoz
Kaylyn Sangston
Mark Naison, Bronx African American History Project
Brianna Bravo
Jaiden Patel
Fiona O’Brien
Addie Price, History Department
Kyra Dezjot
Max Gilsenan, Fordham
Olivia Peto
Ethan
Tyler Suh, Fordham University (Undergraduate)
Alexandra Franke
Yanai Sened, Fordham
Callum DeBroka, Fordham YDSA
Elise Elder, Fordham College at Rose Hill student
Timothy Couper
Naima Hossain, Student
sophia luna
Julisbeth Reinoso
Fabio Setti
Omar Atassi, Student
Ernesto Felicano
Ezra Roscoe
Julianna Medina
Arianna Pinna, FCLC Student
Annabelle Hochberg
Caroline Lewis
Samantha Go
Lauren Dawson
Tommy McGuire
Gavin O’Sullivan, Fordham YDSA
Arleth Gavilanez, YDSA
Matthew Smith, YDSA
Xochi Flores, CWA
Rachel Contos, FGSW
Rithik Shetty
Will Hartl, Philosophy Department
Christine Saldana
Preston Carter, Fordham Graduate Student Workers
Jeremy Rodriguez, Fordham University
Dakota Hampton
Samantha Higgins
Becca Hall, GSAS
Lia Fior
Anthony Rosado, Bronx African American History Project
Alex Gruber, FGSW
megan snopik, FSGW
Javeria Hasnain, Fordham
Molly McCargar
Quinn Findley
Layla Mayorga
Anna Irwin
Alex French
Kayla Carew
Alex DaCruz
Serena Feldman
Katerina Balassis
Kyra Dezjot
Molly Crawford
Eleanor Sanzenbacher
Kiomeiry Csepes
Lizzy Sobiesk
Alex Tischer
Makayla Bezzant
Aengus Martin Donaire, GSAS
Marshawn Brewer
Danielle Del Castillo
Hardik Yadav
Ann Marie McCafferty, Parent of graduate
Lily Kerhulas
Brittany Lugo, Medieval Studies
Cassidy-Ann Bernier
Natalia Ramlogan, Society of Physics Students
Theoren Tolsma, Fordham University
Kara Slagell
Ken Bruce, Philosophy Department
Medhat Tadros
Timothy “Candy” Hagarty, Fordham Philosophical Society MA Student Representative
Owen Clow, FGSW
Sarah Wright, St John’s University
Caitlin Merritt
Ethan Gettes
Mikela Murphy, Graduate Student
Hillary Bylund, FGSW
Hillary Bylund, FGSW
Mollie Clark, Undergraduate student
Juliana Smith
Rayed Jawad, GSAS Graduate Student Worker
Richard DeSantis, FGSW
Matthieu Langlois
Grace Hickman
Kayla Carew
Shela Chan
Courtney Wanees
Samuel Mermin
Charlotte Gemperle
Xiaoping Yu
Matthew Siebert
Richard Whiting
Jet Pacapac
Anna Irwin
Corwin Freedman
Layla Mayorga
Lily Carlisle
Matthieu Langlois
Gabrielle Bibeau
Nicholas McIntosh
Tatyana Bidopia
Maddox Wolfe
Kara Gordon
Grace Mausser
Christopher Lempa, IPED student
Theresa Sullivan, Rose Hill class of 2004
Andrew McDonald, Executive Vice President of Fordham’s United Student Government at Rose Hill
Michael Tofte, Fordham GRE Alum / Princeton Theological Seminary
Ally Bartek
Edward Kim, Alumnus
Maeve McGroary
Ariana Davis
Madison Hoxsey, FCRH
Isabella Guariniello
Jessica Zampino
Genesis Fermin
Ben Choi-Harris
Raine Rodriguez, Fordham YDSA + NYC DSA
Peter Harsch
Layla Mayorga
Melody Alvarado
Jeferly Morillo, Fordham University
Lizannys Sanchez
Brianna Jeremy
Jenaba Jalloh
Sarah Barbara Clerkin
Henry Tremblay, Student
Douglas Gelman, GSAS
Stacy Tran
Leo Parascondola, FCRH '70, Fordham SDS Alumni Affinity Chapter
Robert Kavanagh, SDS
Jessie Schwartz
Azhar Ahmed, SPS
Natalia Ramlogan, Society of Physics Students
Sophie Barr, Society of Physics Students, Rodrigues Coffee House
Robert Schultz, National Writers Union, FCRH '70, Fordham SDS Alumni Affinity Chapter
Katherine Palmer, Fordham Alum
Stella Black, SPS
James Leathem Brazzini, Astronomy
Callum DeBroka, YDSA
Isabella Lipayon, Undergraduate
Paige Ananfack, YDSA
Valerie Le, Fordham YDSA
Jenna Cain
Andreas Bezahler
Caitlin Dougher
Makeda Byfield, Alum / YDSA
Paige Ananfack, YDSA
Benjamin Luterbach, YDSA
Daniel Juricic, Fordham YDSA
Julia Yermash
Rajeswari Banik, President of LC Art Club
Perry Callahan
Kayla Rivera
Karol Quinde
Charles Thompson, Undergraduate
Kaila Reynolds
Naiya Rookwood, Fordham University
Laila Mustafa
Britta Ingebretson, Fordham University
Sydney Eitelgeorge
Jaylin Seldon
Taylor Franson
Pellumb Alizoti
Rachel Wanagosit
Victoria Ross-Blumenauer, Transferred out of Fordham
Aidan Nanquil
Samantha Prado, FCRH
Brynn Kasper
Johanna Doyle, Student
Elizabeth Barker
Seamus Dougherty, Undergrad at Fordham
Malahni Cowan
Maxwell Cowan
Caitlin Wong
Lucas Randell, Rodrigues Coffee House
Ellie Frost
Oden Entwood
Roman Bickson
Sydney Smith, Fordham University
Margaret Crowley
Morgan Britt, N/A
Catherine Payleitner, FCRH
Mari Arnold
Sophia Rivera-Korver
Sophia Merrell