On July 6th, 2020, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) declared that international students studying in the US at some universities could face deportation if their classroom instruction is entirely online for the fall 2020 semester. ICE's announcement is not only a public health concern as we are in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, but this puts students at risk for deportation which will hinder their education and put them at risk for not completing their degrees. 

ICE has been known to generally target the deportation of undocumented immigrants, however now ICE is targeting international students, who have secured proper visas, during a vulnerable time for everyone in the world. 

ICE issued a statement that students will risk deportation if they do not leave on their own and the State Department will suspend the issuance of F-1 and M-1 visas and US Customs & Border Protection will deny entry to the US for international students. 

At Providence College, there are 4, 316 undergraduate students as reported by Providence College Office of Admissions (https://about.providence.edu/fast-facts/ )and 2% of those students as reported by Providence College (https://about.providence.edu/fast-facts/) are international students. This means that 100 members of the Providence College undergraduate community could be as risk for deportation this fall if classes are moved to a fully virtual format due to the pandemic. Even more students are at risk when the university's graduate programs are factored in.

With current uncertainty of how the pandemic will evolve in the coming months, Providence College students call upon Providence College to declare that our campus be deemed a Sanctuary Campus. We demand that our university bar the presence of ICE on Providence College property, hope that our university understands the added pressures and implications of ensuring that fall courses do not become fully virtual, and that our university prioritizes housing and in-person courses for international students.

Though the percentage of international students at Providence College is low, the Catholic Church emphasizes the dignity of each human person, as we are all created in the image of God. Providence College must make a commitment to this human dignity and protect our 100 international students, ensuring that they are able to reside and study where they choose.