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Abbott Vows To Cut Funding For 'Sanctuary Campus' Schools

Bob Daemmrich
/
Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to a large crowd of state leaders at the Texas Education & Workforce Summit Sept. 19, 2016 at the AT&T Center.

Rebuking a growing movement aimed at protecting undocumented students under incoming President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott vowed Thursday to cut funding for any Texas school that declares itself a "sanctuary campus." 

Abbott made the threat on Twitter in response to news that students at Texas State University are petitioning administrators to make the campus a "sanctuary for undocumented students, workers, and community members." Such concerns have spiked following the election of Trump, who has promised to deport millions of people in the country illegally. 

"Texas will not tolerate sanctuary campuses or cities," Abbott said. "I will cut funding for any state campus if it establishes sanctuary status."

Additional details on Abbott's threat were not immediately available. 

The definition of a "sanctuary campus" is not entirely clear. The University of Pennsylvania, for example, has branded itself a sanctuary campus after announcing it will not let federal immigration authorities on campus without a warrant. At Texas State, students are asking the administration to "guarantee student privacy by refusing to release information regarding the immigration status of students, staff, and/or university community members."

In Texas, Texas State is not the only school where students are pushing for sanctuary status. Similar petition efforts are currently underway at the University of Texas at Austin and University of North Texas.

The Texas Tribune provided this story.