The Supreme Court decision in June to not rescind protections for nearly 700,000 people under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy was a sigh of relief. The rights ensured by DACA are critically important, and the ruling helped address some of the confusion swirling for the past two years around our federal government's immigration policies — confusion that left many of the undocumented members of our campus community unsure of their place here. Not knowing what the future held, not only for them but for their families and friends, was also unsettling.
But keeping DACA intact is not nearly enough. It only provides work authorization for people who came to the United States as children and requires renewal every two years. It does not provide a path to citizenship, and many undocumented people are excluded from DACA and cannot benefit from the legal protections it affords.
We write to let the undocumented members of our community know there is nothing ambiguous about our support for you. We are proud of your efforts, recognize your contributions to campus and to society, and will do all in our power to support you. You do not stand alone. Our campus is built on an ethos of social justice, and nothing is more just than equal access to educational attainment and employment. Our Principles of Community clearly lay out our commitment: We value the strength that the diversity of our campus community brings to our institution. We are committed to due process. We believe deeply in equal opportunity.
The University of California system is equally committed to the rights of all students and employees, regardless of immigration status, and it's important that we all know these rights. The passage of state Assembly Bill 21 in 2017 put several policies and procedures in place regarding immigration enforcement on public campuses.
But keeping DACA intact is not nearly enough. It only provides work authorization for people who came to the United States as children and requires renewal every two years. It does not provide a path to citizenship, and many undocumented people are excluded from DACA and cannot benefit from the legal protections it affords.
We write to let the undocumented members of our community know there is nothing ambiguous about our support for you. We are proud of your efforts, recognize your contributions to campus and to society, and will do all in our power to support you. You do not stand alone. Our campus is built on an ethos of social justice, and nothing is more just than equal access to educational attainment and employment. Our Principles of Community clearly lay out our commitment: We value the strength that the diversity of our campus community brings to our institution. We are committed to due process. We believe deeply in equal opportunity.
The University of California system is equally committed to the rights of all students and employees, regardless of immigration status, and it's important that we all know these rights. The passage of state Assembly Bill 21 in 2017 put several policies and procedures in place regarding immigration enforcement on public campuses.
Below, we've outlined various scenarios, and what to do in each instance.
- If you are advised that an immigration officer is expected to enter, will enter, or has entered the campus to execute an immigration order, notify Garrett Naiman, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Development and Engagement, and Dean of Students, as soon as possible. Contact him at 831-502-5009 (available at this number after regular business hours) or via email at deanofstudents@ucsc.edu.
- Any student, faculty, or staff who has contact with an immigration officer executing a federal immigration order should refer that individual to our Campus Counsel's Office for purposes of verifying the legality of any warrant, court order, or subpoena. Contact the office at 831-459-1848.
- If you are or believe you may be subject to an immigration order or inquiry on campus, Garrett Naiman is again your best contact. Federal and state education privacy laws protect your records, as he is prohibited from disclosing your education information including immigration status to anyone, except as otherwise required by law. Contact him at 831-502-5009 (available at this number after regular business hours) or via email at deanofstudents@ucsc.edu.
For a complete explanation of UC's policies and procedures relating to undocumented members of our community, as well as for up-to-date immigration information, here are some good links:
- www.universityofcalifornia.edu/immigration
- UC's Statement in Support of Undocumented Members of the UC Community
- Frequently Asked Questions for University Employees about Possible Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions on University Property
As a final note, this message is being sent so that all members of the community are informed heading into the new academic year. We have no indication that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has any current plans to come to campus for enforcement activities.
