Sanctuary Union Resolution
During the October 16 General Membership Meeting, TAA members voted to pass a resolution making our union a sanctuary union, standing in solidarity with Harvard University’s United for Sanctuary Coalition and the Dane Sanctuary Coalition. Going forward, the TAA will continue to work with these organizations to protect TAA members and members of the Madison community from unjust existing immigration policies and future changes to immigration policy.
Read the full text of the resolution below.
University of Wisconsin–Madison Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA)
Sanctuary Union Resolution
WHEREAS the TAA stands in solidarity with all workers, particularly the most vulnerable among us; and
WHEREAS the TAA represents all UW–Madison graduate students and is committed to fighting for economic and racial justice for UW–Madison graduate students, both in the workplace and beyond; and
WHEREAS many of our members, as well as other UW–Madison students and employees, are immigrants and today immigrant communities are under attack; and
WHEREAS the TAA embraces its responsibility to represent and defend TAA members and other UW–Madison students and employees, regardless of race, immigration status, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation and will not be impeded or intimidated from exercising that responsibility; and
WHEREAS many churches in Madison have declared themselves Sanctuary Congregations and formed the Dane Sanctuary Coalition, in partnership with other community organizations, which have vowed to support and advocate on behalf of Madison’s immigrant communities and, should the need arise, house and provide physical sanctuary for threatened immigrants.
It is therefore RESOLVED that the University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Assistants’ Association declares itself a “Sanctuary Union;” and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will protect the rights and safety of TAA members and other UW–Madison students and employees, regardless of immigration status; and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will do all it can to lawfully protect TAA members and other UW–Madison students and employees from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and arrests; and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will not voluntarily cooperate with federal agents or other authorities in the prosecution or attempted deportation of TAA members, other UW–Madison students and employees, and any other persons; and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will not collect personal information from our members that may be used to challenge their immigration status; and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will hold or publicize “Know Your Rights” trainings and share legal resources with TAA members and other UW–Madison students and employees; and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will continue to build alliances with others working to protect communities and the undocumented, and participate in actions in response to ICE raids or university collaboration; and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will join Harvard University’s United for Sanctuary Coalition and commit to the coalition’s efforts of pressing institutional leadership at UW–Madison for concrete and preemptive measures to protect TAA members and other UW–Madison students and employees from both unjust existing immigration policies and future changes to immigration policy that would infringe upon the rights of TAA members and other UW–Madison students and employees; and
It is further RESOLVED that the TAA will join the Dane Sanctuary Coalition as a supporting organization, where it will work with coalition members consisting of faith communities and associated organizations tasked with assisting vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities, and support those congregations that will offer physical sanctuary to these communities when needed; and
It is further RESOLVED that, as a member of the Dane Sanctuary Coalition, the TAA endorses the New Sanctuary Movement and will commit time, talent, and/or financial resources to meet the Coalition’s mission.