Dear West Lafayette City Council Members:

We, the community members of West Lafayette are committed to building a supportive, welcoming, safe, and respectful environment for all. Measures taken by the new Trump administration and past practices of the U.S. state compel us to designate West Lafayette as a welcoming city for immigrants, international students, and Legal Permanent Residents under threat of deportation.

Purdue is a world renowned institution, and holds national preeminence in scholarship, research, and innovation. The richness and strength of our Greater Lafayette community is equally due to the contributions of both local residents and our global community. We, as a community, have a responsibility to take leadership in protecting non-citizens under a political climate that debases our city’s values and hinders the global contributions emanating from West Lafayette. These individuals include undocumented students, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, students with H1B, O1, TN, F1, J1, and M1 Visas, Legal Permanent Residents, and all others who fear removal by Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials and agents. These individuals are an integral part of our communities and deserve our support and compassion under the current political regime.

We call on you to declare West Lafayette a welcoming place for all by adopting a welcoming ordinance that:

1. Addresses the vulnerable position of non-citizens and those who have been denied full citizenship rights due to their sexuality, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, dis/abilities, and other social or politicized identities by investing resources in their physical, mental, and emotional well-being during this turbulent time.

2. Ensures that the identities, rights, and safety of residents are respected and protected regardless of faith, nationality, or immigration status. This includes targeted groups such as undocumented and DACAmented residents, Muslims, and individuals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

3. Refuses all voluntary information sharing with ICE (U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) across the University and city to the fullest extent possible under the law.

4. Affirms the right of local communities to govern and police themselves, recognizing that the prescription of collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE or CBP officials is detrimental to our communities. Therefore, the City condemns legislation at any level of government that induces mistrust between local law enforcement and the residents they serve.

5. Refuses ICE physical access to all land owned or controlled by the City to the extent permitted by law.

6. Ensures that no municipal benefits, services, or opportunities be contingent on immigration status unless required by state or federal law, or court order.

7. Provides support to city residents in the form of immigration legal aid, either by hiring an immigration attorney on retainer or supporting local organizations such as Lafayette Urban Ministry’s Immigration Clinic.

8. Directs local law enforcement and other relevant city employees to support U visa certifications (USCIS Form 1-918 Supplement B) for victims of crimes, and provides training to relevant employees as necessary.

9. Provides information to the public about current and relevant immigration issues as they relate to law enforcement responsibilities and boundaries by way of “Know Your Rights” workshops and other means.

10. Formally expresses support for initiatives to allow undocumented students to pay in-state resident tuition.

11. Formally declares West Lafayette to be a Welcoming City.

12. Executes these measures immediately so that non-citizens can be assured of institutional support.

We urge you to implement the above measures and uphold West Lafayette’s integrity in the face of injustice.

Respectfully,