June 18, 2020
To the Campus Community:
Today is a welcome reminder of the promise of our country. This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to retain the protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which provides work permits and protection from deportation for close to 700,000 DACA recipients. At CSUN, the ruling means that many members of our campus community — students, faculty and staff — have a temporary reprieve from the threats of deportation.
The work to permanently protect Dreamers and other undocumented members of our community is far from done. This victory was won with a razor-thin margin and made based on procedure. This is why I have joined with university presidents and chancellors across the nation as members of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, urging Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation in order to secure permanent relief for these aspiring citizens.
The contributions of immigrants to our campus, our city, our region and our country make us stronger. For example, approximately 29,000 DACA recipients are currently working in healthcare, fighting in our ongoing battle against COVID-19, and we must continue to support these individuals.
Again, CSUN remains supportive of DACA recipients, all of our undocumented students, and other immigrants learning and working in our community. CSUN’s EOP DREAM Center offers resources including referrals for emotional support, legal services and financial support. The California State University also has compiled significant resources for undocumented students. I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the staff in the DREAM Center, as well as staff and faculty across the campus who continue to serve as allies and a source of support for our undocumented students and employees. Your efforts and commitment are greatly appreciated!
While the past weeks have shown us that the struggle for equality and justice is far from over, this ruling — combined with the Supreme Court decision Monday affirming rights for LGBTQ employees that were fortunately already in place in California — makes me feel optimistic for positive change.
Thank you for your continued support for every member of our campus community.
Sincerely,
Dianne F. Harrison, Ph.D.
President