Our current reality is not new: Bigotry, hateful rhetoric and nativist anti-migrant sentiment have long been embedded in this nation’s history. Yet for the past decade, the spread of these prejudiced ideologies has only intensified. The Trump administration has facilitated this brazen vitriol against others who are not “us,” turning discrimination into policy and stoking divisions that endanger vulnerable communities. Once again we find ourselves at an ethical crossroads: Will we uphold our moral obligation to protect those most at risk, or will we stand idly by?
This administration poses a direct threat to democracy, and its reach has extended far beyond Washington, setting its sights on Ithaca. While Cornell’s role in this agenda remains uncertain, we cannot afford to wait. Members of the Alliance for Community Protection call upon Cornell to not remain neutral and capitulate to this fascist agenda, and to instead take action and put the safety and well-being of its students first. Cornell claims a commitment “to do the most good,” yet its policies expose stark failures that leave students vulnerable. The State University of New York sanctuary campus movement — signed and supported by students across campuses — calls for universities to protect immigrant and undocumented students from federal overreach. Within Cornell, the University Assembly passed Resolution 19 in March 2021, urging the university to declare itself as a sanctuary campus. Despite these efforts, Cornell has yet to take concrete steps toward ensuring safety for its community.
This inaction is unacceptable. On Feb. 11, we, the ACP, formally presented five demands to the administration — a call for Cornell to protect its students, faculty and staff from policies that put them at risk. The following demands are not radical; they are fundamental protections that should’ve been in place long before the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids reached Ithaca a couple of weeks ago and students were forced to fear for their safety, unprotected from the systemic issues that plague the country. These demands are rooted in basic human decency. They align with the values Cornell claims to uphold. Yet, rhetoric without action is meaningless. The administration must listen; honor its commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion and act swiftly.
Our Demands*:
- We demand that Cornell ensure the continuation, protection and adequate funding of all DEI programs and initiatives for both graduate and undergraduate students.
- We demand that Cornell establish and maintain systems to protect the legal rights of students and staff.
- We demand that Cornell make financial aid accessible to all students, regardless of the documentation status of students and guardians.
- We demand that Cornell protect faculty and staff from retaliation when advocating and demonstrating support for students.
- We demand that Cornell immediately end partnerships with agricultural businesses and farms that engage in exploitative or abusive practices.
We, the ACP, have set a one-week deadline for the Board of Trustees to approve these demands and three weeks for the administration to release a detailed implementation plan. The urgency of this issue calls for immediate action, and delays are dangerous ergo the necessity of our deadline. The gaps in Cornell’s policies predate the Trump administration, and it is the University’s moral obligation to rectify them now.
To the administration, we say this:
Listen to us. Protect your students. Take a stand.
To the students, faculty and Ithaca community, we urge:
Stand with us. Speak out. Demand better.
We are not just fighting for ourselves — we are fighting for the soul of this institution.
There is no such thing as neutrality in the face of injustice. Cornell’s failure to act signals that our safety is conditional, that our rights are negotiable, and that justice is secondary to institutional convenience. But we refuse to accept this. We, the Alliance for Community Protection, call upon students to reject passive acceptance and to take action — to protect themselves, their peers and their community.
Cornell now stands at a defining moment. Cornell has the opportunity to be a leader — but only if it listens to its people and meets these demands with urgency and sincerity. We are here. We are united. And we will not be silenced. So we question: Will Cornell uphold its promises, or will it betray the very principles it was founded upon?
*The official document with the demands that were handed to the administration on Tuesday, February 12th go into extensive detail for each demand, ensuring that Cornell understands exactly where policies are lacking. These expanded demands can be found on the Alliance for Community Protection Instagram account.
For more information about The Alliance for Community Protection, reach the organization on Instagram @allianceforcommunityprotection. ACP is a community of individuals not run by a governing body, but a collective for community support.
Kassandra Robeldo is senior in the College of Arts & Sciences studying government. She submitted this on behalf of the Alliance. She can be reached at ksr66@cornell.edu.
