Chancellor May Applauds Supreme Court DACA Decision

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Chancellor Gary S. May with sign showing support for DACA students.
DACA students “contribute to our rich diversity of cultures and perspectives that is integral to our success as a global university,” Chancellor Gary S. May said.

To the UC Davis Community:

Today marks a significant victory in the name of social equity. I’m pleased to share that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. The DACA program allows immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to live and work in the country they know as home.

This ruling is a huge relief to so many valued members of our UC Davis community. While UC Davis — and the entire UC system — has been consistent in its support for DACA, our undocumented community has faced incredible stress and uncertainty as they awaited this decision over the past two years.

Today, we stand united with our undocumented community in applauding the Supreme Court’s ruling and reaffirming our University of California principles of open and equal access to higher education for students of all backgrounds.

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Integral to our success

UC Davis has a dedicated community of undocumented and DACA recipient students from across the globe. These students — many of whom are the first in their families to attend college — contribute to our rich diversity of cultures and perspectives that is integral to our success as a global university. They are paving a future for themselves and their families so they can give back to our society.

Since it was created, DACA has permitted more than 800,000 young immigrants to live and work lawfully in the United States. The next step is for Congress to enact permanent protection for DACA recipients that will provide a pathway to citizenship.

I’m proud to be part of a university system that has taken a leadership role on this important issue. UC President Janet Napolitano was instrumental in creating DACA and in bringing a legal suit on behalf of the University of California. “Justice and the rule of law won the day,” she said in UC’s statement on the ruling.

Campus resources

UC Davis has campus resources to help guide undocumented and DACA recipient students through their financial, legal and emotional experiences.

Our AB 540 and Undocumented Student Center is a model of empowerment, opportunity and equity. The center provides assistance with renewing DACA status, as well as a variety of resources to assist with housing, finances and other needs as outlined in their recent statement.

UC Davis also hosts the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center, which is committed to supporting members of our undocumented community. Find more information about upcoming DACA-related webinars here.

Our Academic and Staff Assistance Program offers free and confidential counseling and referral services to UC Davis staff, faculty and any adult family members residing in their homes. These mental health resources are particularly helpful for employees under DACA status who’ve faced significant stresses in regard to this issue.

A glimmer of hope

As we’ve seen in recent weeks, many members of our great nation are still struggling to access equitable opportunities in our country. This ruling offers a glimmer of hope during these challenging times.

To our UC Davis students and everyone in our undocumented community, keep striving! We stand with you every step of the way.

Sincerely,

Gary S. May
Chancellor

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