Guillermo: Sanctuary Campus Movement Stalls in Heartland

While some major players like the University of California and the California State University system have led the way in the call for sanctuary campuses for undocumented students, others appear to be stopping far short.

Call it the hedge in the heartland. The gutless heartland.

Schools like the University of Illinois and Northwestern University are willing to say they will support the undocumented students they have.

But to use the word “sanctuary”?

They just can’t or won’t do it.

“We cannot declare our campuses as sanctuaries, as the concept is not well specified and may actually jeopardize our institution,” said a letter to the University of Illinois, signed by the President Timothy Killeen, and the leaders of the three campus university. “However, we will continue to do everything we can within the law to reassure, support and protect our students.”

“Within the law” is a phrase you didn’t hear activists like Martin Luther King Jr. say.