U of Oregon faculty union declares 'sanctuary' status, says it will not cooperate with ICE
The University of Oregon’s sole faculty union enacted a policy that prevents them from cooperating with immigration authorities.
The union is calling on the university’s administration to follow suit.
A University of Oregon faculty union has declared itself a “sanctuary union,” claiming that it will avoid cooperating with federal law enforcement on immigration issues.
The University Academics of the University of Oregon (UAUO) is the sole faculty union at the university representing approximately 1,900 employees. On April 21, the union claimed in a newsletter that it will not be cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in deportation-related matters.
“Be it resolved that UA declares itself a ‘Sanctuary Union’ that will take measures to protect the rights and safety of all the employees we represent and their families, regardless of their immigration status or national origin,” the newsletter reads.
The faculty association added that it will not “voluntarily cooperate with federal agents in the arrest, prosecution, or attempted deportation of represented employees or their family members.”
“We will be creating a legal defense fund to assist members for their family members who are targets of unlawful or suspect conduct by the federal government. If you are interested in being on a committee to help formulate policy and administer the fund,” the newsletter asserted.
The policy also states that the union will actively train and inform members on how to identify and challenge law enforcement actions.
For example, it will host trainings to instruct faculty members of their legal rights during federal investigations and educate workers on how to avoid ICE actions.
UAUO is also set to hold a “Pride Caucus” on May 6 as well as the “Faculty of Color Caucus” on May 20.
This UAUO is the exclusive representative of the faculty at the university, claiming it strives to “enhance the quality of faculty work life and student education by negotiating our terms and conditions of employment,” as stated in its web page.
In the upcoming weeks, the faculty union will hold exclusive events that feature members with diverse backgrounds, such as the Pride Caucus event on May 6 and the Faculty of Color Caucus event on May 20.
According to an Oregon based local news outlet, the union is now requesting the university’s administration join in the efforts and declare itself as a “sanctuary” for undocumented migrants.
Campus Reform has contacted UAUO and UO for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
