Title slide from Arlene Silva’s event presentation The Xavierite
On Thursday, Sept. 11, Unidos and the Pre-Law Association hosted a “Know Your Rights” event in room S108. The event aimed to inform and provide students with the tools to advocate for themselves and others on campus.
Part of Unidos’s mission is to encourage the appreciation, promotion, and preservation of Latin-American culture at SXU. The Pre-Law Association is dedicated to helping students stay aware of legal matters, whether they’re pursuing a career in law or not.
Both organizations found it imperative to host the “Know Your Rights” event in order to empower students.
Student empowerment and advocacy is especially important right now in light of raids being conducted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The event focused on student rights on campus, workplace protections, and resources for immigrants in the community. The presentation lasted about an hour—from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.—and saw a significant turnout.
“The event went really well,” said Arlene Silva, President of Unidos. “One of the highlights was that the majority of attendees were professors. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many professors genuinely want to stay informed to better support their students when needed.”
“They asked many questions and were highly engaged throughout the presentation, which made me feel very supported. It’s encouraging to know that people are eager to be informed and educated about their rights,” Silva added.
Whether professors or students, all attendees were given important information to help keep them aware of current circumstances.
“It is crucial for people to be informed during times like these,” Silva said. “There is often a lot of misinformation and false narratives circulating in the media. I strongly encourage everyone to take the extra step of reading federal documents that are available to the public.”
Silva worked alongside the executive board of the Pre-Law Association to create an educational presentation in order to combat the widespread misinformation floating around.
“In my [part of the] presentation, I emphasized Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent,” Silva said, referring to a recent Supreme Court ruling which quickly made headlines.
In essence, the ruling allows ICE agents to racially profile the individuals they stop and detain. The ruling faced harsh criticism as many argued that it goes against the fourth amendment.
“I felt it was important for people to know what the only Mexican-American woman on the Supreme Court had to say regarding the court’s decision that allows ICE to discriminate based on clothing, language, and occupation.” Silva said.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor strongly dissented against the ruling.
“Mexican-American citizens must understand that they are part of a broader target group. Sotomayor explained that, as a member of the court, she has not seen or heard any valid justification for ICE agents to act in this [discriminatory] manner,” Silva added.
Silva emphasized how imperative it is for students to know their rights and what they can do if they are confronted by ICE or if they observe ICE in their community.
“If you are a student at [SXU] and see an ICE agent on campus, please contact Donna Eastman at (773) 298-3319 during school hours. After, reach out to public safety at (773) 298-3910,” Silva said.
Donna Eastman is the secretary to SXU president Keith Elder, Ph.D. She is prepared to offer students the resources and legal counsel they may need in a situation with ICE.
“The best approach in these situations is to stay composed and recognize that you have the necessary resources to ensure your safety,” Silva said.
Resources for undocumented students can be found here, and future events held by Unidos and the Pre-Law Association can be found on The Den.