U of Illinois says no to sanctuary status for immigrants

URBANA, Ill. (AP) - The president of the University of Illinois says its three campuses cannot legally serve as sanctuaries for immigrant students illegally living in the country despite pressure to do so.

President Timothy Killeen said Tuesday that "We must uphold state and federal laws. We cannot declare our campuses as sanctuaries, as the concept is not well specified and may actually jeopardize our institution."

But the schools also plan to do what they can within the law to protect "undocumented students."

Faculty and others at the University of Illinois and numerous other schools around the country have urged that schools become sanctuary campuses after President-elect Donald Trump's campaign talk of deporting illegal immigrants.

Some universities have said they will while others say they cannot.