Organization Calls On Princeton University To Become 'Sanctuary Campus;' Faculty Supports Diversity

Princeton, NJ -- Over 300 faculty members at Princeton University have put their opposition to racism and discrimination in writing while hundreds of students, faculty members and residents staged a walkout this week.

The walkout was organized by the Princeton DREAM Team, calling for the university to become a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, according to the Princeton Packet.

About 2,100 allies have already signed a document that also calls on the university to designate the Princeton University Chapel “as part of the network of sanctuary churches that provide a refuge for undocumented individuals facing deportation proceedings,” according to the report.

The Princeton DREAM Team is a student-run and community-based immigrant rights advocacy group from Princeton University seeking to push for immigration reform, raise awareness of immigrant-related causes, and reach out to and provide resources to the Princeton community, according to its Facebook page.

"Our mission is to foster empathy toward the aspirations of immigrants, redirect perspectives about immigration, and open opportunities for self-empowerment by supporting programs and future legislation that bring relief to immigrants," the group says on its page. "Our ongoing projects include making weekly visits to the Elizabeth Detention Center, offering mentoring and tutoring services to undocumented students, mobilizing Princeton residents to know their rights, holding bi-weekly dinner discussions to focus on any aspect of immigration, giving out scholarships each year to fund undocumented students' educational pursuits, and developing events for each semester."

The organization has already set up meetings with the university’s administration to discuss the document, according to the report.

Princeton isn't alone in this issue in the state.

On Friday, it was reported that Rutgers University President Robert Barchi has promised that that school will protect the privacy of undocumented immigrants attending the university following a pair of walkouts in New Brunswick and Newark.

Meanwhile, as of Friday morning, 305 Princeton University faculty members have signed on to a statement in support of diversity and opposing racism and discrimination.

The statement reads:

“Amid reports of hate crimes on campuses and schools, we, the undersigned Princeton University faculty, firmly emphasize our belief that all members of our community deserve to be treated with empathy and respect. We come together on this issue not as Democrats or as Republicans, but as concerned members of our community.

“We fully support President Eisgruber’s recent message emphasizing Princeton University’s ‘steadfast commitment to embrace people of all ethnicities, religions, nationalities, genders, and identities, and our equally fundamental commitment to foster the free and vigorous exchange of ideas.’ And we pledge to be outspoken in the defense of these values.”

Hundreds of hate crimes have been reported across the nation after Donald Trump was elected president last Tuesday, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

According to the SPLC, there were 437 incidents of vandalism, intimidation and violence as of Monday, Nov. 14.

Officials and community members in Princeton held a forum last week to discuss the aftermath of the election.

At that time, Leticia Fraga, Chair of the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund, reportedly said she’s heard of children coming home from school crying after classmates told them they were going to be “sent out.”

During his campaign, Trump said he will ban Muslims from coming to the United States, in addition to his comments about building a wall to keep illegal immigrants from Mexico from sneaking into the United States.

Princeton faculty who want to add their signature, are asked to do so here.

To view a spreadsheet with signatures, click here.