Boston University Abandons Student Who Reported Immigration Violations to Federal Authorities

Boston University has spectacularly failed in its most basic duty to protect a student who received credible death threats after exercising his legal right to report suspected violations of federal immigration law. This is not complicated, yet the university’s response has been both inadequate and morally bankrupt.

The facts are straightforward. Zac Segal, a Boston University student and president of the school’s College Republicans chapter, contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding suspected immigration violations after reading about nine illegal migrants being arrested by ICE agents. Segal cited legitimate concerns about American citizens struggling to find employment in the current job market. This is entirely legal. Reporting suspected violations of federal law is not merely permissible but represents civic responsibility.

What followed was predictable yet disturbing. Left-wing activists at the university launched a coordinated harassment campaign against Segal. They plastered posters across campus branding him a “racist and fascist” and declaring he has “no place” on campus. Segal was doxed, his address circulated online, and he began receiving death threats.

The threats were not vague. One message stated explicitly, “If I ever see you I’m fucking killing you and leaving ur dead body on the sidewalk.” Another promised, “We’re coming for you.” A third threatened, “I’ll be waiting outside your little event tonight.” Perhaps most chilling was the threat reading, “Here’s to hoping you’re the next to get Kirked,” referencing the September 10 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was murdered while speaking with a student at Utah Valley University.

Boston University’s response to these credible threats? Dean of Students Jason Campbell-Foster told Segal to stop attending classes in person and suggested he arrange remote learning. Read that again. The university effectively told the victim of death threats to go into hiding rather than ensuring his safety on campus or holding the perpetrators accountable.

America First Legal, now representing Segal, has demanded the university allow him to transfer to Boston University’s Washington, DC campus to complete his education at no additional cost. This represents a reasonable accommodation given that the university has implicitly acknowledged it cannot safely accommodate Segal in Boston.

The legal advocacy group correctly notes that “Boston University must protect its students, not force them into hiding.” This should not be controversial. Universities have a fundamental obligation to ensure student safety, particularly when students face threats for engaging in lawful activity.

What makes this situation even more egregious is Boston University President Melissa Gilliam’s response. Rather than unequivocally condemning the threats against Segal, Gilliam issued a statement to media outlets that was critical of the student himself. She warned against focusing on differences such as “skin color” and “political views,” which risks “fostering” division. This represents a complete inversion of moral responsibility. The problem is not that Segal reported suspected violations of federal law. The problem is that violent leftists threatened to kill him for doing so.

This case illustrates a broader pattern on American campuses where conservative students face harassment, threats, and institutional abandonment when they express their views or engage in lawful conservative activism. Universities that claim to value diversity of thought routinely fail to protect students whose thoughts deviate from progressive orthodoxy.

The law is clear. Reporting suspected immigration violations is legal. Threatening to kill someone for doing so is illegal. Boston University needs to act accordingly and protect its student rather than capitulating to a mob of left-wing activists who believe threats and intimidation are acceptable tools for silencing dissent.

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