Letter To The Editor

Statement on Customs and Border Patrol presence at UWT career fair

Submitted by PSU-YDSA

Uniformed, on duty Customs and Border Patrol Officers have no place at our University. If we hold the values of equity and inclusion, if we want to protect our undocumented students, and if we truly believe that “hate has no home here” then Customs and Border Patrol will be disinvited from the upcoming winter career fair.  The University’s desire to include an employer should not come at the cost of excluding students who will not feel safe to attend the fair with CPB present. 

The NWDC isn’t more than a couple miles away and is a constant reminder of the threat of being detained and deported; this threat should not loom over us on our own campus as well. The presence of Customs and Border patrol on our campus does not align with our core values as an institution. The university has the opportunity to do the right thing and to stand up for the values it claims to hold. To be a diverse and welcoming campus. To commit to equity and Inclusion. But it seems that in choosing to allow customs and border patrol to attend they are choosing to commit to something else entirely.