MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Associated Students of Madison passed a resolution Wednesday calling on chancellors 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.
School leaders at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee say chancellors do not have the authority to declare the school a sanctuary for students who entered the country illegally.
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.
UW-Milwaukee chancellor Mark Mone sent an email to students saying the school "will continue to provide important protections, including activities that protect all students to the fullest extent of the law."
