Since his inauguration on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump started the first weeks of his presidency with a wave of immigration-related executive orders in an effort to crack down on undocumented immigrants within the United States.
After placing the issue of immigration at the forefront of his campaign, Trump issued and signed more than 50 executive orders, including an attempt to end birthright citizenship, the declaration of a national emergency at the southern border, the reinstitution of the “remain in Mexico” policy and the termination of the CBP One app, used by the Biden administration to provide an online registration system for immigrants attempting to enter the United States. Some of these executive orders have been subject to legal challenges.
As the orders begin to take effect, college campuses across the country, including Saint Mary’s College, have been considering the implications on policies related to students of varying immigration statuses and backgrounds.
Multiple representatives from various administrative departments at Saint Mary’s declined to comment, including vice president of inclusion and equity Redgina Hill, director of international students and multicultural services Adriana Petty, assistant director for student equity and first-gen programs Donna Taylor-Schuman, executive director of retention strategies Mona Bowe and director of communications Lisa Knox.
Director of student financial services Jenna Zwiller provided insight on federal aid concerns and clarified some of the processes that the College has in place for students of varying immigration and citizenship statuses.
“We offer our students, depending on their immigration status, different types and levels of aid. So an international student, for example, has a different visa than someone who might be here as an asylum or a refugee or undocumented, right? They’re gonna all have different types,” Zwiller said
According to the Federal Student Aid website, undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid.
Zwiller expressed uncertainty about the College’s policy going forward.
“Right now, we are just kind of waiting to see how things shake out, because we really don't know. So we're as up in the air as everyone else right now,” she added.
On Feb. 4, College President Katie Conboy issued a statement that did not definitively comment on the immigration policies issued by Trump.
Addressing students through email, Conboy wrote, “While the wider world may swirl with confusion, I invite you all to set your hearts on the highest things: to be in community with one another and to seek to truly know each other! Share a meal. Stream a movie together. Go to yoga or take a long walk to the Grotto.”
A Saint Mary’s student, granted anonymity to discuss her family’s immigration status, shared her concerns regarding the recent executive orders and the status of her family in the United States.
“I am a [first-generation student]. I am the oldest daughter and my parents are immigrants. Luckily I was born here, so I’m a citizen, right? But it’s hard to see my whole family worry, it’s hard when you’re a woman," the student said. "I’m so worried about my parents, they’re not legal. They drive everywhere, they go to the stores. Any time, any place, they could be deported. It’s hard to live in a house where all your siblings are from here, but your parents aren’t.”
