Let’s imagine this. It is finals week. The library is buzzing and coffee cups are stacked on the tables beside open laptops. are lost in their notes, syllabi and stress. Now imagine that one of those students, an international student, is not just worried about passing their Biology exam. They are worried about getting that dreadful phone call that could put an end to her entire education journey: the call from Immigration.
This is not fiction. This is the reality of a thousand international students across the country, many of whom have seen their peers being sent back to their home countries and now have this threat hanging over their heads too. It is a quiet fear, invisible to classmates and professors, but still it is there, feeding on every last shred of confidence and hope.
In a world shadowed by multiple threats like global warming, famine and climate change, international students are not trying to make the world more challenging. They are bridges, not threats. They cross oceans not just for opportunity, but to contribute to research, campus life and the community as a whole. Despite everything they do to better the American society, they are the first to be forgotten when immigration policies harden.
Therefore, to protect international students, it is time for universities to declare full sanctuary.
A sanctuary campus is a promise for every international student. It is a commitment to protect students from unjust enforcement, to refuse collaboration with immigration authorities without a warrant, and to provide resources—legal, mental health and academic—that support students in crisis.
By declaring sanctuary at Augustana, students will feel like they belong, like their education matters more than their immigration status. But most importantly, they won’t feel alone navigating this new and challenging political climate. It is reassuring to know that they have someone in their corner. Many of these students have come here without the comfort of family or parents, and that absence often breeds deep anxiety. Their minds are caught in an exhausting cycle of worry. The fear of the unknown weighs heavily on them, and they long for the moment when they can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Imane Mansouri, a freshman at Augustana, shared her concerns about the shifting political climate. “I do not feel safe anymore,” said Mansouri. “We keep hearing rumors about legal authorities coming to campus, and it is scary. We should declare sanctuary for the sake of all international students.”
The threat of deportation not only affects international students but also their domestic peers. It silences participation as a lot of domestic students may feel targeted too and it rips apart the heart of the campus community. The trust that was once the pillar of the institution is threatened.
Declaring full sanctuary is not just about implementing a policy; it is an act of courage. It is a statement that education is a right, not just a privilege contingent on your visa status. It is a reminder that universities are not just a place for knowledge, they are spaces of community, belonging and a home to all students.
No student should have to choose between their safety and their education. No person with a dream should be deported midway through achieving it. Let our campus be a sanctuary, not just in name but in action. Let our campus be a home to every student, where they can find the support they need.