Supreme Court’s DACA ruling ‘enormously important,’ Berkeley leaders say

Chancellor Carol Christ; Oscar Dubón, vice chancellor for equity and inclusion; and Stephen Sutton, vice chancellor for student affairs, sent the following message to the campus community on Thursday: 

We are very much relieved by today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the Trump administration failed to provide a reasoned explanation for ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The decision, which stems from a legal challenge filed by the Regents of the University of California, the state Attorney General and others, means that DACA will remain in effect for now.

Today’s ruling is enormously important for undocumented students and staff and for our campus community as a whole. We value every member of our community and embrace the talents, unique journeys, and perspectives they bring to our campus.

Since DACA was established in 2012, it has safeguarded more than 800,000 young undocumented immigrants — including thousands who attended or now attend UC — from deportation, helped them fund their education, and opened the doors to employment in the United States. DACA has provided these individuals some respite from the specter of deportation. While we can breathe a sigh of relief today, we know that deep concerns remain. Please know that the University of California is committed to advocating for legislation that would permanently protect all undocumented community members, including DACA recipients, and provide a path toward citizenship.

A crowd gathered outside of the Supreme Court building in support of DACA. The University of California, and others, filed suit to save DACA in 2017. (University of California photo Scott Henrichsen)

We want each member of our community to know that regardless of immigration status, you are an important part of this university, and we will continue to be unequivocal in our support of you and work towards providing a safe and supportive environment for you.

If you are a student, the Undocumented Student Program (USP) staff can provide you with virtual academic, emotional, mental health, and immigration legal support during the shelter-in-place order. Details on how to access these services can be found at this website.

For staff or faculty who may be experiencing issues related to immigration enforcement activities, please call Employee Assistance at (510)643-7754 or e-mail [email protected] and/or People & Culture, Central Human Resources, at (510)642-7053 or [email protected].

I stand with #DACA recipients because they are smart, ambitious, and great contributors to our community. — Chancellor Carol Christ 🌟 #UC4DACA #UCisHome Join us. #Nov12 https://t.co/Xj2JKCmAOf pic.twitter.com/JZ08Cs5k1h

— UC Berkeley (@UCBerkeley) October 31, 2019

For more information about your legal rights in an immigration enforcement situation, please consult counsel at the Undocumented Student Program Immigration Legal Support and this “Know Your Rights” card.

Additional information about UC policies and procedures relating to undocumented members of our community may be found here: UC’s Statement of Principles in Support of Undocumented Members of the UC Community and Frequently Asked Questions for University Employees about Possible Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions on University Property. More information on these resources can be found on this campus page.

Over the last few years, the number of DACA students in our undocumented campus community has dwindled because they were not eligible to apply under the current administration. Please know that we are here and will continue to work relentlessly with and for our undocumented community.