Mark Ginsberg, President
Melanie Perreault, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Vernon Hurte, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and University Life
Steve Jones, Senior Vice President for Campus Operations and Chief Operations Officer
Patricia Bradley, Vice President for Inclusion and Institutional Equity
Stephanie Shea, Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel
Charles Herring, Associate Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police
Keiwana Perryman, Director of the Center for Student Diversity
Bartosz Debiki, Chair of the Academic Senate
Heather Sorensen, Chair of the Staff Senate

Greetings,

On February 19, 2025, Towson University students, through independent investigation, discovered that a branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), concealed as “Homeland Security Investigations SAC Baltimore,” would be present as an employer at the March 7 Mega Job and Internship Fair hosted by the University’s Career Center. Amidst nationwide deportations, including in previously protected locations such as hospitals, places of worship, courtrooms, funerals, weddings and schools, undocumented members of our community face militarized communities and police, violent arrest, and traumatic deportation. Undocumented students, staff, and faculty at Towson who seek stable, successful lives in the United States are forced to endure a public dynamic that threatens their daily existence. We demand the Administration of Towson University renew its commitment to the safety of undocumented immigrants on campus, designate Towson University as a sanctuary campus, and respect the rights of students to advocate to defend migrants.

The Trump Administration promises to continue conducting mass expulsions of immigrants, leading to an indiscriminate wave of arrests conducted by ICE affecting migrants of all ages, occupations, and legal statuses. Undocumented individuals detained by ICE have spoken out about the barbaric treatment they have experienced while in custody, including denial of legal counsel, lack of contact with family and loved ones, isolation, humiliation, and containment within the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison camp. The treatment these individuals have suffered at the hands of ICE is unacceptable, and prompted swift response from student organizations at Towson University. A petition calling for the removal of ICE as an employer at the Mega Job and Internship Fair created by the Latin American Student Organization on February 20 garnered over 2,300 signatures. On February 26, a rally organized by Towson’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America amplified students’ outrage and garnered over 200 attendees. Endorsed by more than twenty-five student organizations who comprise the Student Solidarity Coalition, these actions demonstrate the strong opposition members of the Towson University community hold against the presence of ICE on campus.

The surreptitious inclusion of a department of ICE at the University’s career fair violates the trust placed in Towson University Administration by students, faculty, and staff. In 2016, the University System of Maryland developed guidance to all universities and colleges under its jurisdiction regarding the rights of institutions to non-cooperation with immigration enforcement authorities. Later that year, former Towson University President Kim Schatzel issued a statement confirming that the University would not cooperate with immigration enforcement authorities and increase resources to the Center for Student Diversity to support students with concerns about their immigration status. As of the public release of this letter, Towson University’s Administration has violated its own policy and neglected to produce official, clear, and overarching guidance on the presence of immigration enforcement authorities on campus and its level of cooperation with said agencies. This serves as a continuous disruption to the educational pursuits of undocumented students, the duties of undocumented staff, and the academic commitment of undocumented faculty.

The signatories of this letter issue the following demands to Towson University’s Administration with respect to the ongoing threat to migrant safety on our campus:

1. Designate Towson University a sanctuary campus and declare its commitment to the safety of immigrants of all documentation status on campus.

2. Renew and reaffirm the statement issued by former President Kim Schatzel entitled “Our Commitment to Support TU's Undocumented Immigrant Students.” Issue institution-wide guidelines for students, staff, and faculty regarding how to respond to an ICE intrusion on campus.

3. Prohibit ICE’s access to campus entirely. Prohibit recruitment, enforcement, and any other ICE activity on campus.

4. Establish emergency protocol to keep immigrant students safe in the event of ICE presence, including updating the Towson University Police Department’s emergency text and email alert system as well as the Community Safety Dashboard to alert the university community to ICE activity on campus or within the surrounding community.

5. Publicly release all information including but not limited to policies, emails, and other documents related to ICE’s involvement in the March 7 Mega Job and Internship Fair.

6. We demand a meeting with President Ginsberg, which must occur by May 13.

7. Respect students’ right to activism on campus via methods including but not limited to public rally, flyering, assembly, and public speech.

Sincerely,

Towson University Students