Philadelphia has declared itself a sanctuary city, and since CCP is an open access institution and the largest public college in the Philadelphia area, we serve a uniquely diverse student body that deserves and requires specific protections. As declared in our mission statement, we value diversity in all its forms, and believe that this action of solidarity with students of color, Muslims, those of undocumented status, and women, among others, validates not only our mission as a College but also our role as educators.

We are here to educate not deport, and as faculty and staff we believe in our students more than we believe in discriminatory directives from the President-elect. Our job as educators is to support students - many of whom are first generation, working class, single mothers, and immigrants - in their educational goals as productive and valuable individuals, not to assist in their oppression.

Our identification as a sanctuary school emphasizes our responsibility as an institute of higher education and as a source for safe harbor under the ideals of academic freedom. Our noncompliance with ICE officials (unless in exigent circumstances) does not put our federal funding at risk and will simply and clearly ally ourselves on the side of our student body, whose retention ensures our collective success as a college and as a community.