Cambridge Acted on ICE. Harvard Should Too.

Cambridge has raised the alarm on ICE. Harvard should stop hitting snooze.

Last week, the Cambridge City Council unanimously supported a policy seeking to prohibit the Cambridge Police Department from employing former federal immigration agents — regardless of when they were employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That follows an executive order from Cambridge’s city manager to bar federal immigration enforcement on municipal property, release all surveillance footage of federal agents causing violence or property damage, and require city officers to respond to reported ICE activity.

Local policy should be informed by the needs and values of the city. On that account, the policy succeeds: the Council’s move rightfully reinforces Cambridge’s commitment to protecting its own. To safeguard our community against ICE, Harvard must follow suit.

These policies arrive as necessary opposition to President Trump’s reckless, iron-fisted deportation campaign that continues to threaten fellow sanctuary cities across the country. “Operation Metro Surge,” which is concluding according to a February 12th announcement from border czar Tom Homan, wreaked havoc in Minneapolis and resulted in two tragic deaths at the hands of federal immigration agents.

Renee Good, a poet and mother of three, was fatally shot during an encounter with ICE agents. Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, was killed after trying to help a woman pushed to the ground by a federal agent.

We are appalled by the federal government’s excessive use of force, and we appreciate Cambridge’s refusal to bow to intimidation. Granted, there are fair questions about the efficacy of the Council’s policy on hiring. It’s not as if former ICE agents are lining up to join the Cambridge Police Department any time soon.

But symbolism does matter, especially when it’s paired with broader policy and foresight. The city government is thinking ahead, and Harvard ought to take the same approach.

Just as Cambridge’s diversity is part of what makes the city special, the diversity of Harvard is the linchpin of its excellence. Trump’s deportation campaign threatens to undermine that excellence by endangering Harvard affiliates and chilling our speech climate. A federal campaign that scares people into silence — or out of the country — undermines the University’s mission.

In the event that the Trump administration attempts to escalate operations in Cambridge, Harvard cannot be caught off guard. The University’s number one priority must be ensuring that all its students, staff, and faculty are safe and supported.

Harvard can start by preparing response protocols for a range of scenarios involving ICE activity in or near campus.

Part of any such response requires strong internal communication: To combat fear, affiliates need to know how to respond to crises. The University should proactively disseminate know-your-rights information and clarify available resources. Students should not be left to learn their legal rights in the moment they need them most.

Of course, no amount of preparation will fortress us against every harm. With an administration this volatile, we have no way of knowing if and when ICE will strike.

Indeed, we should all hope for the best — but we must be prepared for the worst.

This staff editorial solely represents the majority view of The Crimson Editorial Board. It is the product of discussions at regular Editorial Board meetings. In order to ensure the impartiality of our journalism, Crimson editors who choose to opine and vote at these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on similar topics.

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