Chancellor Block and Professor Valenzuela sent the following message to the UCLA campus community.
Today, the University of California is making arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in defense of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. As the lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit UC filed nearly two years ago, we are committed to protecting a critical program that the White House vowed to end in 2017.
With the fate of DACA now in the hands of the highest court, UCLA continues to follow this matter closely and remains committed to supporting and defending undocumented students on our campus.
Despite the legislative challenges that affect immigrant communities on our campus and across the nation, we know that DACA students at UCLA have excelled academically and professionally and continue to do so. Every day, we learn of their and their family’s contributions to the fields of science, education, business, and academia — both on and off campus — and to our civic institutions. Ending DACA would cause many of our students to lose valuable academic resources, negatively affect their well-being and reduce their opportunities to contribute to their families and our communities and neighborhoods. While many Bruins and their families will continue to face a volatile and uncertain future after today’s hearing, we pledge to stand with them and support them. We value their presence, recognize their contributions and remain committed to ensuring our campus provides a safe and supportive environment for them.
While the court’s decision is unlikely to be issued until next year, we invite you to join us in signing a pledge on the UC website to defend DACA recipients, and to review and share the resources below. We also strongly encourage you to seek legal support offered by our Undocumented Student Program Legal Services or the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center if needed, and for those of you who are DACA holders, to renew your status.
Sign up to receive updates from UCLA’s Advisory Council on Immigration Policy.
UC Resources for Undocumented Students:
UCLA Undocumented Student Program
UCLA Advisory Council on Immigration Policy
UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services
UC Defending DACA Recipients
Frequently asked questions on UC’s court case to protect DACA
Gene D. Block
Chancellor
Abel Valenzuela Jr.
Professor and Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Immigration Policy