UNC CH Grad Workers Union Statement

UNC Chapel Hill has signaled their intent to proactively collaborate with ICE. Given the university’s willingness to endanger the wellbeing of their international scholars, The Workers Union at UNC cannot in good faith recommend that international graduate workers accept their offers of admission to UNC at Chapel Hill.

UNC Chapel Hill’s administration has welcomed the Trump administration’s assault on the rights of international scholars with open arms. Before any other university indicated any posture towards his policies, the university chancellor indicated that UNC would fully cooperate with ICE. Furthermore, the UNC Board of Trustees is considering adopting a resolution that would require UNC to proactively report international scholars to ICE for exercising their first amendment rights on campus.

Regardless, our union will fight to protect the international graduate workers who choose to come here and those who are already here. Whatever means we can take, we will take them. We will protect our comrades, workers, and students because UNC has abdicated its responsibility to do so. As a first measure, we will plan a series of Know Your Rights training sessions so that our coworkers acquire additional resources to protect themselves. We as a union will work tirelessly to protect the people who make this university run.