The Trump administration continues to escalate its attacks on universities focusing on non-citizen students and academic workers. There are reports of visa revocations, detentions of legal permanent residents, and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity in and around campuses across the country. While we do not know of any such activity at Rockefeller, these attacks underscore the importance of winning a contract with strong guarantees that protect international workers’ rights so that we can safely continue our work. But there are other ways we can support one another outside of the bargaining table, and this is as much a strength of a union as the contract itself.
Towards this goal, our union has set up a UAW Immigration Hotline with a team of lawyers to quickly connect members facing an immigration emergency with legal resources. If you or a coworker are experiencing an unexpected change in immigration status or any other immigration-related emergency, call this 24/7 number to be connected with legal counsel: +1-888-416-2110
The university has also agreed to hold a virtual informational session with an immigration lawyer on April 17th. Live questions will not be addressed, but Rockefeller has invited community members to submit questions, from which they will select a subset to address. We encourage every unit member to take advantage of this opportunity to ask how Rockefeller will support workers in our community.
Here is a list of suggested questions unit members have already submitted, which you could consider when submitting your own questions. A large number of specific inquiries makes it more likely that Rockefeller will provide a clear response. Questions must be submitted today to be considered.
These are uncertain times for everyone who works at a university, though recent news raises specific concerns for visa holders and legal permanent residents. We urge everyone to work together to support all of our community members with concerns for their personal safety or careers.
In solidarity,
Stephen Thornquist
On behalf of the UPROR-UAW Organizing and Bargaining Committees