Kathryn Kina and Morgan Ulanowski after event The Xavierite
On Tuesday, Jan. 28 the Political Science Forum (PSA) and Pre-Law Association (PLA) hosted a Know Your Rights Panel.
The speakers included Morgan Ulanowski, President of the Political Science Forum and Kathryn Kina, President of the Pre-Law Association.
The event consisted of a presentation on what has been happening in the world, and how students are feeling about it. The panel was split into two sections.
According to Kina, they combined their forces to reach a larger audience.
Both organizations discussed similar topics emphasizing the issues in the U.S. currently at hand.
The Political Science Forum began by discussing what happened after President Trump’s inauguration.
Trump signed an executive order called the “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” (PAPAI). He declared a national emergency at the Southern border and did this when he was inaugurated in 2017, however, Biden reversed it in 2021.
“Trump wants to use the executive order to unlock funding to pay for border security and infrastructure, going outside of traditional congressional appropriations process” Ulanowski stated
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have now expanded power in some protected areas such as
schools, churches, and other areas where they have been permitted to enforce these actions.
“Which may affect local law enforcement, as in Jan. 2017, Trump had tried to issue an executive order barring funding to ‘sanctuary jurisdictions,’ and while parts of this was blocked by courts, it would not be surprising if this is brought up again,” Ulanowski Stated.
Some major cities that have been targeted according to the Political Science Forum are New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, Denver, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, San Juan; Puerto Rico, and Cities in Texas like Dallas, Irving, Arlington, Fort Worth, and Collin County.
According to Ulanowski, in Chicago, 10 separate ICE teams of 10 federal agents have fanned out across the city.
“While ICE can enter the public area of a facility, they cannot access private areas without a valid warrant or consent from an authorized representative,” Ulanowski explained.
“$88 Billion is the number that the American Immigration Council estimates the cost of deporting approximately 1 million immigrants in a single year” Kina states, “there are approximately 13 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.”
According to the Pre-Law Association, Trump tried to end birthright citizenship, however a federal judge blocked it. If that order were to pass it would mean that children born to undocumented immigrants would no longer be considered citizens.
“All people in the US have constitutional protections, including the right to remain silent when questioned or arrested by immigration officers. Being stopped by immigration officers or other law enforcement can be scary, but stay calm” Kina stated, ” DO NOT: discuss your immigration or citizenship status with the police, immigration agents, or other officials, and don’t sign anything you do not understand.”
Both the Pre-Law Association and the Political Science Forum explained the importance of learning and remembering your own rights, the right to remain silent, not signing anything you don’t fully understand, and reading all warrants before allowing officials in your home or any private property.
For further information regarding current events and citizen’s rights, visit If you would like to look into the current immigrantjustice.org and click on the “Know Your Rights: Welcome to Chicago” section.