Editor’s note: The Berkeley Beacon has vetted the identities of the authors. The paper can confirm the writers are Emerson students. 

As students and members of the Emerson College community, we are demanding immediate action from the administration to protect our most vulnerable peers—immigrant, refugee, and international students—whose safety is increasingly at risk. The urgency of our demands is amplified by the context of President Donald Trump-era policies and the escalation of political repression against our marginalized communities. Under the Trump administration, federal immigration policies have grown more aggressive, punitive, and inhumane. 

Trump’s policies, particularly his “zero tolerance” stance on immigration, have frightened many Americans, and universities have not been exempt. Under the new rule, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been empowered to enter schools, religious institutions, and even students’ homes without regard for due process or individual right to privacy. This unchecked federal overreach places immigrant students in grave danger. 

Beyond immigration enforcement, Trump’s administration has repressed students who engage in activism or criticism. The suppression of student activists, particularly those advocating for Palestinian freedom, is not just about ideological disagreement—it is part of a larger trend in which the Trump administration has sought to silence and intimidate those who challenge the status quo. 

Under Trump’s leadership, federal agencies have become instruments of surveillance and consequences. For students who are undocumented, international, or come from marginalized communities, these federal actions place them directly in harm’s way.

Emerson College, as an institution of higher learning and a supposed sanctuary for expression, has a duty to protect its students. But when over 100 students were arrested for peacefully protesting in support of Palestine, it was a stark reminder that the administration has not taken sufficient action to defend students from the growing state-sanctioned violence that has characterized this period, and even worse, has held the door open for it. By not actively resisting the overreach of law enforcement and not providing a clear, unwavering defense of students’ rights to free expression, the Emerson administration has fostered an environment in which state forces are not only welcomed but emboldened. 

The urgency of our demands has been heightened by the recent escalation of violence, both globally and on our campus. We cannot ignore the ongoing attacks on Gaza, which this week saw over 400 people killed from Israeli airstrikes, breaking the “ceasefire” and making it one of the deadliest days for Palestinians in recent years. These attacks, the suffering, and the violent escalation reinforce the critical need to support Palestinian students and those advocating for justice, as well as to protect students from political retaliation here at home.

We are demanding that Emerson take immediate steps to protect students from the escalating attacks on immigrants and student activists. The following are brief summaries of the key demands and long-overdue actions we have called for in a letter to the administration:

1. Non-compliance with ICE information requests: Emerson must refuse to share personal data with ICE, prohibit ICE from accessing campus without a judicial warrant, and guarantee that no student, faculty, or staff member will be reported to ICE. 
2. End the persecution of student activists: Emerson must commit to not disciplining or surveilling students who engage in peaceful protest, particularly those advocating for Palestine or any marginalized community. The college must also publicly reject Trump’s immigration policies and ensure legal support for students targeted by ICE. 
3. Establishment of a dedicated legal support team: Emerson must create a legal support team to help students facing deportation threats or other immigration issues, or partner with local immigration law organizations to offer resources and guidance. 
4. Creation of an independent support network: The college must establish a non-police, student-centered support network that operates independently from the Emerson College Police Department and provides resources for students in crisis without involving law enforcement. 
5. Clear and transparent emergency contact protocols: Emerson must implement a 24/7 immigration crisis hotline operated by trained professionals and establish rapid-response teams to support students during ICE operations. 
6. Public commitment to sanctuary campus policies: Emerson must declare itself a sanctuary campus and publicly refuse to cooperate with ICE or DHS while condemning the tactics used by these agencies to silence political dissent and violate students’ rights. 
7. Public support for Mahmoud Khalil and solidarity with Palestinian students: Emerson must issue a public statement condemning the actions of Columbia University in the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student, and express solidarity with all students facing similar attacks. The college must stand firmly against the criminalization of student activism and work to protect students who may be targeted due to their political beliefs.

The administration’s inaction to date speaks volumes. In light of the state-sanctioned violence Emerson opened the door to last year, we cannot ignore the risk that we, too, could be attacked again. We are asking that President Jay Bernhardt and the Board of Trustees take immediate, concrete steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all students—especially those who may be targeted due to their personal beliefs and immigration status.

To quote directly from our letter to Emerson’s president and the administration, “President Bernhardt, your letters to the community have spoken at length about healing, shared values, and ensuring safety for all. Yet, for undocumented, international, and immigrant/refugee students, there can be no healing, no safety, and no shared values when their lives remain in jeopardy due to institutional inaction.”

We recognize that you are afraid of Trump’s threats to cut federal funding to schools that do not crack down on anti-Zionist sentiment. Trump would see all of this country’s educational infrastructure crumble for the sake of compliance. Rather than roll over and allow Trump to dictate our speech, surveil our faculty, and deport our students, stand up! Join us in the fight against tyranny. Your commitment to “learning from past mistakes” rings hollow if Emerson does not take immediate steps to protect students who are at risk of deportation and political retaliation. 

If this administration continues to ignore these demands, it will be clear that Emerson’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is nothing more than a branding exercise. You can be remembered as a collaborator in state suppression, or change course and follow your own promises. This is not just about being a “sanctuary campus” in name—it is about ensuring that every student, regardless of immigration status or political beliefs, can attend Emerson without fear of being detained, deported, or punished for speaking out.

As students, we are committed to standing up and refusing to be passive while our peers endure political persecution. The injustices faced by our community are not distant—they are real, and they affect our friends, classmates, and fellow students every single day. We will not allow fear, intimidation, or oppression to define our campus. In these critical times, it is our collective strength, unity, and unwavering commitment to each other that will keep us safe.

Emerson administration, the question is: What will you do?

We have asked, in our letter, for a formal response from the administration, outlining a clear and actionable plan to meet these demands and protect the most vulnerable members of our community.