The national conversation on immigration has intensified in recent weeks with the enactment of new policies specifically targeting undocumented immigrants. This has prompted a wide range of responses, most notably from Pope Francis, who has excoriated the current climate of hostility toward migrants. The university has pledged to follow applicable federal and state law regarding law enforcement access to private property. This means the university will require law enforcement agents to present valid judicial warrants to gain access to non-public areas of the university, such as classrooms and residence halls. 

This step signifies that St. Joe’s is committed to protecting and respecting the privacy and rights of our community by affirming that the university is not legally obligated to grant access to law enforcement without a warrant. This is, undoubtedly, a positive sign, and the university should be commended. It is worth noting that this is an existing policy. Any member of the community encountering law enforcement should follow the university protocol and direct them to the Office of Public Safety & Security (OPSS).

Any university policy must be rooted in an innate respect for human dignity. Federal policy seeking to invalidate the human dignity of certain communities should not trump the call to welcome all individuals, regardless of their background.

There are some who might say this issue, emotional as it may be, should not provoke a response. But this is an issue that affects virtually every member of our Philadelphia area community. It would hardly be a stretch for anyone to find a personal connection. But, even if that weren’t the case and the issue of immigration could be wholly separated from St. Joe’s, the university’s stance would still be the correct one. As a Jesuit institution, upholding the dignity of all humans — those we know and especially those we don’t — must be the paramount focus of any internal or external directive.