St. John’s community pushes back on new U.S. Customs and Border Protection partnership
QUEENS, NY — June 13, 2025 Students, faculty, and alumni at St. John’s University are voicing strong opposition to the institution’s recently announced agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Queens-based Catholic university plans to launch an “Institute for Border Security and Intelligence Studies” in partnership with CBP’s New York field office, aiming to train future homeland security professionals.
A petition—signed by 935 people as of Thursday—calls for the “immediate termination” of the partnership, citing CBP’s “well‑documented record of harmful and unlawful enforcement practices against immigrants and racially profiled communities”. Raj Chetty, an associate English professor who signed the petition, criticized the timing of the announcement at the start of summer break, when federal immigration raids are reportedly underway.
University officials defend the initiative, highlighting student access to CBP field operations and professional benefits of the program. Spokesperson Brian Browne emphasized the institute builds on existing homeland-security and cybersecurity training on campus, noting that no federal funding is involved.
Critics argue the partnership contradicts St. John’s Vincentian Catholic mission. Hira Shafeeq, a Pakistan-born faculty member, said it “undermines” her duty to students and the university’s values. Afaf Nasher of CAIR-NY called it “a shame” that a Catholic institution would train agents who may “cage fellow human beings” . History professor Susie Pak added that the institute clashes with the university’s longstanding commitment to uplifting immigrant communities.
With the petition growing and key campus voices speaking out, St. John’s faces mounting pressure to reconsider its alliance with CBP.