CHICAGO – Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city council will have an ally in the threatened battle from the incoming Trump Administration over the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
DePaul University's President Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M. wrote in an email to students Wednesday that students without legal immigration papers should not be concerned, because the university will actively protect them from the "new presidential administration."
"A number of you have inquired about what potential changes in immigration policy could mean for some of our community as a new presidential administration prepares to take office," Holtschneider wrote. "DePaul has always welcomed students regardless of their citizenship status, and we will keep our commitment to undocumented students who choose this university for their education."
He then assured DePaul students that the university administration does not keep records that indicate a student's documentation status.
"If government authorities sought such records from us, we wouldn't have anything to share. We cannot produce what we do not possess," he wrote. He then went on to list "extensive resources" DePaul provides for their students that may be concerned about their security.
- Students have access to Croak Student Legal Services, located in the Lincoln Park Student Center, which provides free legal services as well as referrals to external resources.
- The DePaul Asylum and Immigration Law Clinic can assist students and their families. They have also developed a referral list of low-cost legal service providers who provide assistance in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals cases and have engaged DePaul alumni to provide one-on-one consultations for DACA and undocumented students…
- University Counseling Services and University Ministry both stand ready to support students more personally as they balance the stress that such uncertainty brings.
- More broadly, the DREAM resource guide is a collection of instructions for how an undocumented student could access health insurance, scholarships and financial aid resources and support services at DePaul and in the greater Chicago community. This guide was developed by DePaul's DREAM Working Group, who will continue meeting regularly to discuss how the university can enhance its support for undocumented students.
President Holtschneider then declares that DePaul supports Mayor Emanuel's declared sanctuary city status.
"Finally, DePaul supports Mayor Rahm Emanuel's commitment to maintain Chicago as a sanctuary city and pledges continued action on these ongoing initiatives to support undocumented students," he wrote.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:31
Until God gets around to “separating the sheep from the goats,” it’s the job of the U.S. Department of Immigration to do it.
It’s high time for them to START.
I live in Urbana and I am the son of a faculty member who is emeritus faculty of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My father served on the UIUC faculty senate for YEARS and still proudly serves on the senate. I am proud of the UI system that they DID not adopt this fall into this foolishness… Sanctuary cities or institutions are blatant violations of Federal Immigration Law. Go look up the McCarron-Walters Act of 1952…
No matter how you cut it…. sanctuary cities rewards crime.
No self respecting Catholic should donate a penny to DePaul.