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UW-Madison chancellor can't declare sanctuary for students who entered U.S. illegally

Posted at 11:40 AM, Dec 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-01 13:00:06-05
 The Latest on University of Wisconsin-Madison students demanding UW leaders declare all system campuses sanctuaries for students who entered the country illegally as minors (all times local):
 
   11:15 a.m.
 
   University of Wisconsin-Madison officials say Chancellor Rebecca Blank doesn't have the authority to declare the school a sanctuary for students who entered the country illegally.
 
   The Associated Students of Madison passed a resolution Wednesday calling on Blank and UW System President Ray Cross to declare  UW-Madison and all system schools sanctuaries for students who entered the country illegally before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.
 
   The resolution explains that the declaration would mean the campuses wouldn't work with federal immigration authorities on deportation issues and the schools would bar federal immigration authorities from visiting the campuses to make arrests.
 
   UW-Madison spokesman John Lucas said in email Thursday that Blank doesn't have the power to make such a declaration and she must run the school within the constraints of federal and state law. A system spokeswoman said Cross was traveling but system leaders would be watching what Trump does with immigration policy closely.
 
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   10:05 a.m.
 
   University of Wisconsin-Madison's student government has passed a resolution demanding Chancellor Rebecca Blank and UW System President Ray Cross declare system schools sanctuary campuses for students who entered the country illegally as minors.
 
   The Associated Students of Madison passed the resolution Wednesday. It calls on Blank and Cross to issue the declaration before President-elect Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration, saying Trump may start deporting immigrants who entered the country illegally as minors.
 
   The resolution says such a declaration would mean campuses wouldn't release information to federal immigration authorities on deportation issues, federal authorities would be barred from visiting campuses to arrest students who entered the country illegally as minors and campus police would be prohibited from working with federal immigration authorities.
 
   Blank and Cross's spokespeople didn't immediately respond to messages.