The University of Utah regularly provides updated guidance for campus about immigration law enforcement.
As a public institution, the university is required to follow state and federal laws and comply with court orders and judicial warrants. The U also follows federal laws, including HIPAA and FERPA, that preserve the privacy of patients and students.
In Utah, most immigration enforcement actions occur in coordination with county jails following criminal arrests. To date University of Utah Public Safety Department has reported no confirmed incidents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducing immigration enforcement on campus.
Chief Safety Officer Keith Squires says he would prefer that University of Utah Police not be deputized to perform immigration enforcement on campus—known as the 287 (g) program. Regional ICE directors have said they will not conduct immigration enforcement at Utah public schools, colleges or universities, Squires said, and he would expect colleagues in federal law enforcement to inform him if that changes.
“University Police have not and do not intend to engage in federal immigration enforcement,” Squires said during a briefing for the Board of Trustees on March 10. “We have not been requested to, and I do not want our department to participate” in immigration enforcement.
“Our concern is that every member of our campus community feel safe and comfortable with contacting our university police department if they are a victim or witness of crime and need any assistance,” he added. “We do not inquire of individuals’ immigration status in the course of providing our professional public safety services.”
At the same time:
- The University of Utah does not ask students to disclose their immigration status (other than international students who come on visas) and the university does not track a student’s immigration status.
- A small percentage of U students may be undocumented, including some who are protected from deportation and granted work authorization under DACA—Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. At this time, those with DACA status prior to 2021 can continue to benefit from the program and apply to renew their DACA status.
- University of Utah Police do not ask individuals about immigration status, will not detain a person solely on the belief they are in the country illegally and will not detain or make arrests solely pursuant to an ICE detainer.
Campus community members can find the latest information at the federal transition website and faculty and staff can find specific guidance for classrooms and student-facing services.
University leaders urge every member of the campus community to reach out to the many offices providing support for mental health and well-being, including those dedicated to serving faculty and staff and those for students.