On Thursday, June 12, UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, sent the following message to the faculty, staff and students of UNMC:
Recent immigration enforcement actions may have raised concerns for many individuals in our community or left others with questions regarding UNMC’s procedures in these situations.
First, I want to assure you that the safety and well-being of everyone at UNMC is a top priority. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment for all members of our community. We also remain committed to complying with federal and state law. If ICE or other federal agents approach you about a student or employee:
- Remain calm and professional to avoid escalating the situation.
- Ask for official documentation, including the agent’s name, identification number, agency affiliation and warrant.
- Inform the officers that you are not obstructing their process but need to contact the NU Office of General Counsel and the UNMC Public Safety Department for guidance, as you want to make sure you remain compliant with FERPA and other applicable privacy laws. General Counsel can be reached at 402-472-1201 and Public Safety at 402-559-4439.
You can find more details in NU Executive Memorandum 43 and on UNMC’s Federal Transition site.
As a state university, we will follow mandatory legal processes, including valid subpoenas and court orders. While law enforcement may enter public areas of campus without a warrant, spaces like offices, classrooms and labs are not considered public and typically require a judicial warrant for access.
If you are working at a clinical site, follow the guidelines outlined by each site and contact your clinical supervisor for guidance. Nebraska Medicine also recommends contacting Risk Management if law enforcement asks for patient information (refer to policy IM53 for full details).
If you are an international employee, student or scholar and have concerns about your visa or immigration status, I encourage you to reach out to the UNMC Office of Global Engagement. They are here to support and guide you along your journey at UNMC.
In times of turbulence, it’s important to remember what grounds us. UNMC remains steadfast in our mission and steadfast in serving all our communities, while ensuring the safety of everyone on our campuses.
Please know that we are here to support each other with compassion and grace — values at the heart of who we are at UNMC.
H. Dele Davies, MD
UNMC Interim Chancellor