Maryland, My Maryland

At Campus Reform, U Maryland's 'UndocuTraining' instructs students and staff to 'welcome' illegal immigrants on campus

A public university located in College Park, Maryland currently features an office dedicated to illegal immigrant students. The University of Maryland is offering a resource called the Office of Immigrant and Undocumented Student Life (IUSL). Part of its mission is to “support faculty/staff with training on the assets, challenges, and advocacy needed for undocumented students on campus.”

The training in question is referred to as “UndocuTraining” and faculty and staff can be added to a waitlist by request. UndocuTraining can also be requested for an entire department as well. As part of the program, university administrators recommend the campus community use the term “UndocuTerp” to refer to students who are non-citizens, an apparent reference to the school’s terrapin mascot. The purpose of this is to “navigate away from the negative connotations given to terms such as undocumented, immigrant, non-U.S. citizen and so forth.”

The Office of Immigrant and Undocumented Student Life encourages seven actions that faculty and staff can take in order to create a more “welcoming” environment for undocumented students, including “Do not inquire about a student’s immigration status, “Convey openness and assurance of confidentiality,” “Consider establishing welcoming spaces” and “Use inclusive language.”

The office also recommends that Maryland community members also “Learn the facts” about illegal immigrant students, “Be sensitive to the limits that undocumented students face” and “Donate.”

“Language such as ‘undocumented student’ ‘undocumented immigrant’ ‘people without documents,’ or ‘people without legal status,’” are especially recommended by the office. “The term ‘illegal alien’ is derogatory and dehumanizing and will make students feel unwelcome,” it also states.

Well, aren't they, almost by definition? Did we welcome them or did they slip in the back door?

Related, Maryland Congressman demands return of deported "gangbangers": Rep. Raskin Demands the Return of the Illegal Alien Gang Members ‘Taken to El Salvador on that So-Called Plane Full of Gangbangers’