The Northwestern University Graduate Workers union voted Wednesday to approve a letter urging the University to protect its non-citizen students amid the federal government’s recent terminations of NU students’ visas. The letter is set to be sent to University President Michael Schill.
“Northwestern University Graduate Workers (NUGW-UE 1122) expresses its deep concern at the federal government’s ongoing targeting of non-citizen graduate workers — including visa holders, green card holders, and DACA recipients — on campuses across the United States,” the letter reads.
Non-citizen graduate workers make up about 37% of NUGW’s membership.
Since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, universities nationwide have been forced to confront unprecedented cases of student visa terminations and deportations.
A University spokesperson confirmed to The Daily on Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security has terminated the visas of several current and former NU students.
In the letter to Schill, NUGW wrote that it is reminding the University of its commitment to “provid(e) a safe learning, research, and working environment for all Employees regardless of immigration, citizenship, or undocumented status” as enshrined in the 2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Some of the expectations listed in the letter include that the University not release any information on any graduate student’s immigration status or any information relating to non-citizen graduate students to the Department of Homeland Security unless legally compelled to do so.
It further called on the University to “expunge the disciplinary records of graduate students who have passed the disciplinary probation period” and “immediately make available a list of attorneys and other resources for referral about immigration issues unrelated to an Employee’s relationship with the University.”
The letter also outlined steps for the University to follow in the event that a non-citizen worker is detained without criminal charge, or is threatened with having their visa, green card or DACA status revoked without criminal charge.
The procedure described by the union instructs the University to follow these steps within 48 hours of such a visa-related incident: commit in writing to maintain the graduate student’s enrollment in the University and stipend, offer legal counsel and issue an official statement to the NU community clarifying that the graduate student has been detained without criminal charge.
Email: j.wu@dailynorthwestern.com
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