Oct. 7, 2022
Dear Students,
On October 5, 2022, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decided to uphold the State of Texas, et al., v. United States (2021) ruling that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is unlawful. While the decision continues to provide deportation protection and work permits for the nearly 600,000 DACA participants already in the program – each of whom arrived in the U.S. before they were 16 years old, and for many of whom the U.S. is the only country they know – it also continues to offer no pathway for citizenship or permanent legal status for already-approved DACA participants and bars any new applications to the program.
The future of DACA is unknown at this time. However, the U.S. Justice Department has already gone on record, disagreeing with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision and promising to defend the program’s legality going forward.
In a joint message from California Higher Education System leaders Jolene Koester, PhD., Interim Chancellor of the California State University, Daisy Gonzales, PhD., Interim Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and Michael V. Drake, M.D., University of California President wrote that “the decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals does not change our mission to welcome and serve all students. This is what we have always done, and we will not waver.” And in her own statement, Interim Chancellor Koester declared, “The CSU remains undeterred in supporting Dreamers on all of our 23 university campuses and remains steadfast in our commitment to working with our state and federal leaders on a permanent bipartisan solution that will protect and support Dreamers, including the provision of a clear pathway to citizenship.”
I stand firmly with these leaders and the undocumented members of our campus community. I cannot claim to know what it feels like to carry the burdens of uncertainty, fear, and frustration that surely accompany undocumented status, but I do recognize that these burdens are unfairly borne – particularly by those who came to this country as children and whose only national identity is American.
I encourage everyone who is personally impacted by this decision to seek out the resources and support that are available.
CSUCI Resources
Underrepresented Student Initiatives
CA Dream Act Information
Counseling & Psychological Services
Employment FAQs
Employee Assistance Program
CSU Resources
Resources for Undocumented Students
Additionally, we just learned that the Immigration Legal Defense (ILD) will host a Zoom webinar and question and answer session, today, Friday, October 7 at 10 a.m. Registration for this webinar is not required, and to help protect the identify of those in attendance, the session will not be recorded. I realize this is late notice, but I hope you can join the call.
Topic: ILD DACA Decision Debrief and Q&A
Time: Oct 7, 2022, 10 a.m.
Zoom Meeting
It is worth stating again in this moment that the CSU and CSUCI do not undertake efforts with federal immigration enforcement authorities to investigate, detain or arrest individuals for violations of federal immigration law. Employees who are contacted by federal enforcement authorities must refer all such authorities and inquiries to our University Police Department at 805-437-8444.
I will continue to advocate at all levels for Dreamers, DACA, undocumented, and mixed-status students, faculty, and staff, and hold steadfast to our fundamental commitment to the values of equity and inclusion. I will also continue to keep the campus community apprised as actions become known to us all.
Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President