Student protesters call for U. to become a sanctuary campus

Student protesters call for U. to become a sanctuary campus

(Ravell Call, Deseret News)


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SALT LAKE CITY — About 50 students at the University of Utah walked out of their classes Thursday to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump and demand that the campus become a sanctuary for undocumented students.

A protest organized by Students for a Democratic Society called for action on protecting the undocumented members of the university’s student body. The group, self-described as a radically progressive student organization, raised objections to Trump’s stance on immigration.

Members of the group described the protest as one focused on the harmful effects it feels may come to Utah and the university under the Trump administration.

"We demand the University of Utah becomes a sanctuary campus for undocumented immigrants," said Bryn Dayton, who organized the protest.

Dayton said the university is working behind closed doors to further the measure that would prevent undocumented students from deportation.

"Some of these immigrants are undocumented, and not because they came over, not because they decided to come over illegally, but because their parents brought them," she said. "They’ve been living here their entire lives, but they don’t have the same rights as we do. They do not receive federal financial aid to go to school."

Dayton said the denial of financial aid is contributing to keeping the Latino population undereducated.

"It doesn’t matter if there is a finite amount of financial aid," she said. "It should be able to go to anybody."

Students for a Democratic Society submitted a petition to the university in November, requesting that it adopt sanctuary status. A letter to U. President David W. Pershing also requests that he refuse cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and that he block requests for the university to release information on students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

Photo: Ravell Call, Deseret News
Photo: Ravell Call, Deseret News

"I believe that a president should be someone who fights for all people and treats them respectfully," said Shirley Reyes, a member of Students for a Democratic Society.

Trump has already condemned "sanctuary cities," which offer a protected status to their undocumented population. He has vowed to block federal funding for sanctuary cities.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., also recently introduced a measure to block federal funding for "sanctuary campuses." Email: rmorgan@deseretnews.com

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