The AHA has issued a resolution acknowledging credible allegations of serious and systematic violation of human rights committed by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Border Patrol and encouraging higher education institutions to consult with historians and our colleagues in other relevant disciplines before entering into arrangements with both agencies.

Approved by AHA Council, June 2020

Several US colleges and universities have contracts with, and host recruitment for, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Border Patrol (USBP). The American Historical Association is aware of credible allegations of serious and systematic violation of human rights committed by both agencies and has joined in a lawsuit challenging procedures that would enable ICE to destroy records documenting mistreatment of individuals detained in its custody.

Many, probably most, of these institutions are entering into these collaborative arrangements with ICE and/or USBP without adequate appreciation of this unsavory recent history and hence possibly dire implications of such arrangements for students, faculty, or staff. The records retention lawsuit rests to a considerable extent on the work and expertise of historians; the AHA notes with dismay that there is little evidence that higher education institutions have consulted with historians and our colleagues in other relevant disciplines before entering into these arrangements.

Precedent and context matter, especially when the safety of the learning community is at stake. The American Historical Association reminds all institutions that they should be wary of entanglements with entities whose histories—especially in the recent past—point to credible concerns for the safety and integrity of their patrons, students, faculty, and staff. In this regard, the historical record of ICE and USBP targeting students and scholars especially vulnerable to harassment should make us wary that even their mere presence could undermine the core educational and research missions of colleges, universities, and other educational institutions. Inattention to this possibility is inexcusable given the ready availability of in-house expertise regarding such histories, as well as scholars in other disciplines who offer insights into the potential implications of such relationships.

Colleges and universities have other in-house expertise as well and should consider complementing their intellectual resources regarding immigration issues with services that might be particularly useful to students, most notably financial, legal, and counseling assistance.