At St. John’s University, a group of students, faculty, and alumni has increased efforts to end the institution’s partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The collaboration has faced scrutiny due to concerns about campus and community safety, as well as questions regarding its alignment with the university’s stated Vincentian values, according to a recent report by Gothamist.
An institute dedicated to Border Security and Intelligence Studies was initially proposed as a bridge to prepare students for futures in homeland security. However, opponents of the plan argue that the university's move was not only unethical but also enacted quietly without the proper input from the university or the wider community, as per a statement to The Torch. They are concerned the partnership's intent to nurture professional aspirations can deeply risk to infringe upon the privacy and safety of those on campus and beyond.
The petition, which gathered 841 signatures and was delivered to the university's administration, raises the alarm over the CBP's past conduct, including allegations of human rights violations and recent detainee deaths. "Refugees and migrants are our colleagues, classmates, neighbors, friends and family members. THEY are US," exclaimed the petition, highlighting the extent to which these policies might affect the immediate community around St. John's, The Torch reported.
Details from the tensions between the university's mission and its engagement with the CBP were pointed out by associate history professor Susie Pak, who highlighted a conflict with the university's historical emphasis on elevating immigrants, Gothamist obtained statement noted.
Defending the partnership, Brian Browne, university spokesperson, described the Memorandum of Understanding with CBP as "no different than countless others that St. John's pursues with public, private, and non-profit organizations," as told to The Torch.
Still, critics like Raj Chetty, an associate English professor at St. John’s who signed the petition, argue that the institute's establishment coincides with a time when immigration officers "are conducting raids and disappearing people without due process," a concern he shared in an interview with Gothamist. With 935 signatures on the petition, the opposition persists in urging the university administration to reconsider its partnership with CBP, arguing that it conflicts with the Vincentian mission of supporting marginalized communities.
As the dispute rages on, the university upholds its defense of the institute, drawing on the ethos of its 17th century namesake, St. Vincent de Paul, to justify the coalition with CBP as part of an enduring tradition of engaging with all societal strata for change-making, as mentioned in a Q&A released by the university and reported by Gothamist.
