Popular music festival, South By South West (SXSW) is threatening to report international musicians to immigration authorities if they perform at unofficial shows during the festival.

International musicians often play showcases that are both official and unofficial while in town for the festival--but in an attempt to keep bands from getting exposure outside the festival, SXSW is enforcing exclusivity by threatening deportation. And this clause in their contract is especially frightening after Trump’s mass deportations and attempted Muslim ban. SXSW is operating at the height of hypocrisy--after all this is the festival that touts itself as “vocal in its opposition to President Trump’s travel ban,” and is annually featured in Austin: a sanctuary city.

This shouldn’t be taken lightly. In our current political climate rife with daily accounts of immigration authorities stalking undocumented Americans at elementary schools and churches; threatening international artists with intervention from ICE could be dangerous to both their careers and physical health. Who knows what could happen after immigration authorities get a hold of international musicians? These are the same agencies who removed an undocumented woman suffering from a brain tumor from her hospital bed to lock her up in a cell. And the collusive language in the contract could create a “safe space” for immigration authorities--they could feel emboldened to harass or detain festival-goers who are undocumented. This isn’t okay.

That’s why we’re asking SXSW to remove the clause from their contract and cease collusion with immigration authorities now. There are lives that are depending on it.