University statement on December 6 law enforcement action on campus

The Augsburg University community was deeply shaken by an incident that took place on campus on December 6. Without producing a warrant, an armed, masked group of ICE agents targeted an undergraduate student and confronted members of our community directly outside a residence hall. They aimed weapons at witnesses that included staff and students while many more students watched from their windows. These tactics, with the implicit threat of violence, are unacceptable, dangerous, and profoundly disturbing.

As an urban university, Augsburg has long-standing, professional relationships with local law enforcement, and we are accustomed to partnering closely on public safety issues. What happened on December 6 was far outside the scope of our normal experience. Our focus in the wake of this traumatic incident is on the safety and well-being of our campus community. Now more than ever, our mission of education is critical to the healthy functioning of a free, democratic society.