U. of I. to study ‘sanctuary’ status for immigrants

URBANA — A University of Illinois working group will study legal ramifications of making the campus a sanctuary for students living in the U.S. without legal permission.

The school’s Chancellor Robert Jones says the university supports such students, but creating a legal safe haven is a complex issue. The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports an administrative working group headed by Associate Chancellor Katherine Galvin will examine legal and regulatory issues.

Jones says the school is “doing a thoughtful analysis.”

President-elect Donald Trump promised during a campaign speech to “end the sanctuary cities” and said those “that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities will not receive taxpayer dollars.”

There is no legal definition of the term, which is opposed by some immigration advocates who say it doesn’t reflect that people can still be deported.