Jan. 14 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
In 2025, ICE agents in Oregon reported over 1,100 arrests, their presence growing dramatically in comparison to 113 arrests recorded in 2024. With the increased presence, universities and schools across the country have grown aware of border patrol and begun to educate students on their rights.
In light of such events, Western students and Oregon state representative Lesly Muñoz are calling for Western to declare status as a sanctuary campus.
Sanctuary campuses are defined as colleges or universities that are dedicated to protecting undocumented immigrants through applied policies. Sanctuary campuses reject ICE presence without a warrant, refuse to share student documentation regarding citizenship and offer support in various formats, including legal and financial.
According to the Pew Research Center, there are between 200,000 and 245,000 undocumented college students in the United States.
Western’s Young Democratic Socialists of America have been campaigning in the 2025-26 school year to establish Western as a sanctuary campus to protect and defend undocumented students. “Our goal with this campaign was twofold: first, to make a declarative statement that WOU is a sanctuary campus, and, second, implement material demands that will make the campus safer for immigrant students,” said Jacob Prater, president of YDSA.
YDSA hopes for Western to implement a reporting hotline for ICE presence, which would accompany campus-wide text notices that ICE is nearby and “No-ICE Zones” that are clear and accessible for students. WOU faculty, staff and students would all be trained and educated on their rights.
And, while it would be more challenging, the push for sanctuary campus status would also offer undocumented students legal assistance through Western, but the source of funding remains uncertain.
“The statement itself is symbolic, but meant to show bravery in our school leadership, that they are willing to publicly stand up to the criminal activity of ICE,” said Prater. “We recently saw ICE murdered legal observer and citizen Renee Nicole Good. Lots of schools are afraid to make any public statements out of fear of getting targeted, but we believe that as a Hispanic-Serving Institution we’re already a target, any people of color are targets, and we’ve had plenty of publicity around our HSI status, so it’s not a secret we have the highest percentage of Hispanic students in the state.”
Western has been a Hispanic-Serving Institution since Spring term of 2025, which requires 25% of the student population or more to be Hispanic with full-time enrollment.
YDSA’s petition for Western to become a sanctuary campus is as follows: “In this wavering political climate where information about immigration activity is uncertain, WOU has an obligation to protect students, faculty, and campus workers from all possible oppressive threats, including ICE officers. We students recognize that WOU’s administration, faculty, and staff have repeatedly affirmed their dedication to serving our underserved students. With this in mind, we urge that you continue to implement effective policies and efforts. To protect our diverse community, WOU’s administration must continue to be proactive and publicly accountable.”
Oregon representative Lesly Muñoz joined YDSA in demanding sanctuary campus statuses for Oregon schools. “I don’t believe that it puts a target on your back. The target is there. If you have Latino students, you are a target. So please let those Latino students know they are at a safe campus … give them the dignity and respect they deserve.”
Muñoz also stressed the importance of welcoming all students through obtaining a sanctuary campus status that promotes community and safety.
Western has, on multiple occasions, mentioned ICE and made efforts to support students. In an email sent out Fall term, 2025, President Jesse Peters wrote, “Ongoing and recent ICE raids across the country have impacted numerous families and communities, creating feelings of uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. Members of our own wolf nation are dealing directly with these terrible circumstances … Your well-being is our priority, and we will continue to work to ensure everyone feels safe and supported.”
Oregon is a sanctuary state, meaning, as a state, it follows similar jurisdiction to sanctuary campuses, calling on government transparency, protecting immigrants and sharing minimal information with federal immigration officers.
“Our school admin has claimed we fall under sanctuary state laws and that is true, but if we believe we already fall under that category, we should be able to make a public statement in solidarity with our immigrant and POC students,” said Prater. “The fear to make a public statement shows the contradictions right there — yes, we are under sanctuary promise law, but we’re still afraid and not brave enough to make statements to encourage other schools to feel safer and to say we won’t put up with the criminal behavior of ICE.”
Whether or not Western will declare sanctuary campus status is unknown, but Prater, alongside YDSA, are continuing to push for tangible change.
Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu
