A Letter too WMU

To whom it may concern,

I am writing about Western Michigan University’s (WMU) Non-Discrimination Policy¹, and specifically how it relates to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP), presence at an upcoming WMU Government, Criminal Justice, and Nonprofit Job Fair. I understand that WMU has a commitment to supporting student employment, as higher education is often the only tool available to individuals to transcend class boundaries. Though I think that it is incredibly important for WMU to keep in mind the serious ethical, and moral concerns that come along with enabling, and providing space for the CBP to be on WMU’s campus grounds.

I would like to highlight that CBP and ICE are operational components of the Department of Homeland Security and do not function as independent entities for purposes of public messaging or recruitment. DHS is the governing agency responsible for agency-wide communications, recruitment frameworks, and the public-facing identity of its enforcement components. Under WMU’s Non-Discrimination Policy, the relevant standard is not internal federal agency distinctions, but how DHS-affiliated recruitment is reasonably perceived by members of the University. A reasonable student cannot be expected to meaningfully distinguish between DHS, CBP, and ICE when DHS-level messaging concerns immigration enforcement and removal. Accordingly, DHS communications are directly relevant to evaluating whether CBP’s participation in a University-sponsored job fair presents a foreseeable risk of a hostile, intimidating, or exclusionary environment for students in protected classes.

I would like to remind everyone reading this email that WMU’s Non-Discrimination policy states that “explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment, evaluation, or participation in University programs or activities submission to or rejection of such conduct is the basis for employment or academic decisions; or such conduct is severe, persistent, or pervasive and has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.” I would care to argue that CBP, as an institution at the moment, has been repeatedly associated with the racist, dehumanizing², and violent rhetoric by agents on social media platforms, specifically highlighting their tweets.

To provide concrete examples relevant to WMU’s Non-Discrimination Policy, the official DHSgov X account posted the term “Remigrate” alongside a link directing individuals to a government self-deportation page (https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1978175527329358094). The term “Remigration” is recognized as being associated with far-right and white nationalist movements advocating for mass removal based on national origin or ethnicity. When used by an official federal agency, this language can reasonably be perceived by students, particularly those from immigrant communities or protected classes defined by race, national origin, or ethnicity, as exclusionary and intimidating. Under WMU’s Non-Discrimination Policy, conduct does not need to be unlawful to be actionable, but it is sufficient enough of a purpose under policy that including CBP, or any DHS organization at a University-sponsored job fair would contribute to a hostile or exclusionary environment for affected students, implicating the University’s obligations under its Non-Discrimination Policy.

Another example would be the usage of “Which way, American man?” (https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1955011982488228231) which is a play on words that originates from a white supremacist book titled “Which Way, Western Man?” released in 1978. This book in itself is over 700 pages and extremely anti-Semitic, and anti-Black. Embedding the extremist literature and racist / antisemitic undertones in a recruitment post for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Tying this back to the colleges Non-Discrimination Policy. I'd like to look at how the policy covers access to university activities, which would also include career fairs. If a segment of the student population reasonably avoids a job fair due to fear, intimidation, or trauma associated with a participating employer, the University is effectively limiting access to that activity on the basis of previously stated protected characteristics such as National Origin, Race, and Ethnicity, constituting the presence of CBP, or any DHS organization as a policy risk, even if there is no explicit discriminatory act that occurs on campus.

Beyond the Denial of equal access to university activities, I'd like to highlight as well that by inviting the CBP to recruit, or even allowing the CBP to be present on the University at the Job fair, it is showing that the college is in fact not a neutral bystander. The college is then conferring legitimacy and providing a form of institutional endorsement. Normalizing and tolerating conduct that conflicts with its stated commitments to equity, civil rights, and inclusion. The Policy, states that WMU will “hold all members accountable for violations” including vendors and others engaged to do business with the University, Including CBP as a participatory company in the Job Fair.

To my knowledge the college has no policy that requires the university to provide equal recruiting access to all employers. The college can make a valid effort to exclude the CBP, and subsequently the DHS from general student job fairs. As well as limit recruitment to off campus venues WMU’s Non-Discrimination Policy DOES NOT HAVE TO PROVE THAT the CBP, and therefore the DHS has violated the law, but it does have to determine that the CBP’s presence creates a reasonable risk of a hostile or intimidating environment, unequal access to university activities, and that it conflicts with the universities civil rights obligations.

Based on the above argument, I am asking and advocating that Western Michigan University rescind U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s invitation to participate in the upcoming Government, Criminal Justice, and Nonprofit Job Fair. This request is grounded in WMU’s Non-Discrimination Policy, which requires the University to prevent foreseeable hostile or exclusionary environments and to ensure equal access to University activities for students in protected classes. The University is not required to determine that CBP or DHS has violated the law. It only needs determine that CBP’s presence creates a reasonable risk of intimidation, unequal access, or conflict with WMU’s civil rights obligations.