A Resolution of the Student Government Association Regarding Recent Immigration Enforcement Actions asking Johns Hopkins University Administration to Reaffirm their Commitment to Civil Rights, Due Process, and Community Trust ____________________________________________________________________________
WHEREAS, the Student Government Association is entrusted with safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of Johns Hopkins Undergraduate students and with expressing the values and priorities of Johns Hopkins Undergraduate students, as the Johns Hopkins University Administration should be; and,
WHEREAS, Johns Hopkins University should seek to be a University where everyone thrives; and,
WHEREAS, Johns Hopkins University is a diverse and inclusive community that values fairness, equal protection under the law, and respect for the dignity and humanity of all persons; and,
WHEREAS, Johns Hopkins University should seek to be a welcoming community, including being welcoming to immigrants from other countries; and,
WHEREAS, recent immigration enforcement actions undertaken by federal authorities, including actions that have resulted in serious injury or loss of life, have generated widespread public outrage regarding civil rights, accountability, and the appropriate use of force; and,
WHEREAS, such actions, regardless of the ultimate outcome of any investigation, can profoundly affect public trust, community cohesion, and the willingness of residents to engage with local government and public safety services; and,
WHEREAS, the Student Government Association recognizes that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and that the Student Government Association or Johns Hopkins Administration has no authority or responsibility to regulate, direct, or control the operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) or other federal agencies; and,
WHEREAS, the Student Government Association nevertheless retains the authority and responsibility to speak on matters that affect the safety, rights, and trust of the Johns Hopkins Undergraduate community, and to advocate for constitutional protections and humane treatment for all persons.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Student Government Association:
1. Expression of Condemnation and Grief
The Student Government Association mourns the loss of life caused by recent immigration enforcement actions. The Student Government Association unequivocally condemns ICE and any enforcement tactics that needlessly endanger human life, disregard basic dignity, and erode the rule of law.
2. Affirmation of Community Values and Practices
The Student Government Association affirms its commitment to constitutional protections, equal treatment under the law, and the humane and respectful treatment of all individuals within the community.
The Student Government Association rejects the normalization of fear, secrecy, and violence as tools of governance. Public safety must never be achieved through terror, humiliation, or the abandonment of due process. Peaceful protest is an American right and not a valid target for federal action.
3. Public Safety and Community Trust
The Student Government Association finds that, in the context of federal immigration enforcement, practices such as concealing an official’s identity, operating in plain clothes, using unmarked vehicles, failing to clearly and promptly identify authority, or engaging in confrontational tactics without clear legal justification create an unreasonable risk of violent escalation. Moreover, tactics that deny persons access to basic human needs and rights guaranteed by the Constitution, such as operations aimed at schools, medical facilities, courthouses, and houses of worship run counter to the American spirit and should not be tolerated.
Such practices do not merely undermine community trust; they place residents, bystanders, and officers themselves in immediate danger, and are incompatible with principles of transparent, accountable policing.
4. Federal Immigration Authority
The Student Government Association recognizes that federal immigration enforcement authority is derived from federal statute and limited by the United States Constitution, and that unless the City and ICE enter into an agreement under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, Johns Hopkins University has no responsibility or authority to enforce immigration laws.
Federal law does not generally authorize immigration officers to stop vehicles, enter private property, or take enforcement actions absent lawful authority supported by probable cause and, where required, a judicially issued warrant. Moreover, the Student Government Association finds that immigration enforcement actions aimed at schools, medical facilities, courthouses, and houses of worship, while potentially legal, are unduly disruptive to the community’s well-being, and wrongfully interfere with human dignity and rights granted by law.
The Student Government Association rejects enforcement actions that exceed or evade these legal limits and finds that such actions erode public confidence, destabilize communities, and undermine the legitimacy of lawful authority itself.
The Student Government Association recognizes that buildings on the campus of Johns Hopkins University are private property, and wants to emphasize to the Johns Hopkins University Administration that ICE can only enter private property with a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
5. Call for Transparency and Accountability
The Student Government Association urges federal authorities to conduct thorough, independent, and transparent investigations into incidents involving the use of force in immigration enforcement and to make findings available to the public to the extent permitted by law.
The Student Government Association further calls on federal agencies to immediately reevaluate and discontinue tactics that conceal identity, obscure authority, or rely on fear and force rather than clear legal process.
6. Impact on Federal Personnel
The Student Government Association recognizes that certain tactics now commonly employed in federal immigration enforcement, even when authorized or condoned by federal officials, can place federal officers themselves at risk of physical harm, legal jeopardy, and moral injury.
The Student Government Association further finds that enforcement practices that obscure identity, that rely on fear created by ambiguity, or that prioritize displays of force over clearly bounded legal authority can dehumanize both community members and the officials charged with carrying out those actions, while entangling federal personnel in operations that serve political objectives rather than public safety.
7. Limitation on Scope and Authority
This resolution is intended solely as an expression of the values and concerns of the Johns Hopkins Undergraduate students as expressed by the Student Government Association. Nothing in this resolution is intended to direct the Johns Hopkins Administration or its faculty to interfere with lawful federal activities or to alter any existing legal obligations or authorities.