Purpose:
To implement Illinois law and University policy to:
- Protect the privacy of student and employee citizenship or immigration status; and
- Develop guidelines for the University’s response to law enforcement requests to enter campus for civil immigration enforcement.
Scope:
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and employees as defined in 110 ILCS 167/18.
Procedures:
- Privacy and Non-Disclosure
- The University must not threaten to disclose or knowingly disclose the actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status of any student, employee, or associated person to external parties, without consent of the student, employee or associated person, unless required by State or federal law.
- Employees must maintain privacy and confidentiality in accordance with applicable University policies and State and federal laws.
- As reflected in Campus Administrative Manual Policy ASA-08 and Student Code § 3-602, directory information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) does not include immigration status, citizenship, place of birth, nationality, or national origin.
- Authorized Review Required: Any request from law enforcement, other than the University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD), to enter campus or to access a student or employee for civil immigration enforcement purposes triggers the following:
- Refer the agent to UIPD and call UIPD’s non-emergency number at 217-333-1216 to notify them of the agent’s presence.
- Follow Campus Administrative Manual Policy BF-10: Deliver legal documents (warrants, subpoenas) to the Office of University Counsel (OUC).
- UIPD will coordinate with OUC; a Designated Official or Unit Executive Officer, or authorized designee, may also contact OUC directly regarding requests to enter campus, including judicial warrants or orders, nonjudicial warrants, and subpoenas but should route through UIPD when possible.
- Employees should document the interaction when feasible: date, time and details of the interaction, and, if available, the name of the agent, agency affiliation, identification number, and contact information.
- UIPD and OUC will determine whether to notify and seek consent from the student/employee if the agent requests access for civil immigration enforcement purposes.
- Campus Safety Notification
- UIPD verifies whether immigration enforcement activity is occurring or has occurred on campus and assesses potential impact on campus safety and operations.
- If immigration enforcement activity is confirmed and could adversely impact campus safety or operations, UIPD will inform the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Strategy or designee for purposes of fulfilling notification requirements under 110 ILCS 167/18(h).
- In such cases, the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Strategy or designee will notify the appropriate and affected unit or area to coordinate building access, crowd management, and communications, consistent with applicable law.
These Procedures do not override applicable University policies or laws and shall be interpreted consistent with 110 ILCS 167/18, including its definitions, and other applicable law. Employees must comply with all applicable State and federal law when interacting with law enforcement agents and must not unlawfully impede, obstruct, or interfere with the actions of Iaw enforcement agents.
Nothing in these Procedures limits:
- The University’s compliance with valid judicial warrants, orders, or subpoenas, or with other applicable laws (e.g., FERPA, 8 U.S.C. §§ 1373, 1644, 8 U.S.C. § 214).
- The University’s ability to disclose information when permitted or required by applicable State or federal law.
Additional information and resources may be found at open.illinois.edu, including FAQ page, PDF flyer on Responding to Civil Immigration Enforcement on University Property, and Resources.
These Procedures are effective December 22, 2025.