The University of Wyoming (UW) is preparing its employees for potential visits from federal immigration and law enforcement agencies.
A checklist provided to some public-facing staff outlines steps to follow when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other agents come looking for records or people.
On his first day in office, Pres. Trump gave ICE, the ability to enter "sensitive areas" like churches and schools.
UW Spokesman Chad Baldwin told WPR the checklist was shared in light of these federal changes.
"We wanted to provide updated guidance and education to our employees in case any federal agent comes to our campus," Baldwin wrote in an emailed response to a list of questions. "There are different laws and regulations which must be followed depending on the office or the records maintained in an office. The steps in this document ensure that we follow the law and review any request from an agent."
Baldwin said the checklist is "a public document for anyone to use" and was provided to supervisors to give to their employees, "specifically public-facing staff."
The checklist tells university staff to direct federal inquiries, warrants or subpoenas to UW general counsel or campus police. It also provides specific phrases staff can use if an agent requests student or employee information or tries entering a nonpublic area.
"At all times, stay calm and respectful," the checklist states. "Avoid any actions that could be perceived as interfering, such as physically obstructing an agent, alerting the individual under investigation, concealing or destroying documents, or making deceptive statements."
Baldwin said getting a visit from a federal agent is "not a common occurrence" in Laramie, and UW is "not aware" of ICE coming to campus seeking individuals since the changes took effect.
"In the past, UW has been contacted by ICE once every several years," Baldwin wrote. "We are not aware of ICE seeking individuals on the UW campus since the Department of Homeland Security rescinded the guidelines on sensitive areas."
Under Trump, ICE has arrested a student protest leader from Columbia University in New York, as well as a researcher at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
