Statement on possible ending of DACA program

Dear Friends,

This morning, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that President Donald Trump ordered the end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and that Congress should replace the policy with new legislation before it fully expires on March 5, 2018.

This is deeply distressing news for the promising young people who have spent the majority of their lives in this country—and who are receiving an education or working in order to continue contributing to our great nation. My heart goes out to the young people and their families who will be so deeply impacted in many ways. And I regret, sadly, the significant loss of the many contributions these talented individuals make to our community and in our country.

The University of Denver continues to support DACA, along with over 600 other colleges and universities, and we hope that our national leaders will find a way to continue policies that allow these bright and dedicated students, faculty members and staff to thrive in the DU community and the country.

In January, I issued a memo clarifying DU policies and practices. To reiterate, the University of Denver will do everything within its power to support all of our students. The University abides by all federal, state and local laws, which offer many protections to our students.

Specifically, the University does not and will not voluntarily share student information with immigration enforcement officials, nor will we voluntarily grant access to University property to such officials for the purposes of enforcement or investigation. Our admission and housing practices will remain consistent with our nondiscrimination policy.

The Immigration Legal Resource Center has created a helpful advisory document that addresses the implications of the end of the DACA program. We recommend students read the document to understand their rights and legal responsibilities.

We offer a number of resources to the DU community, and I encourage everyone to use these resources and share them with others in the community who may benefit from them:

• Health & Counseling Center
• Office of Equal Opportunity
• Center for Multicultural Excellence
• Office of Internationalization
• Religious & Spiritual Life / University Chaplain

Additionally, a page of resources we created in January related to an Executive Order on travel, including legal services available to students, contains information that is relevant to those affected by today’s actions. We will continue to update that page.

We also have limited funds available through the Student Emergency Fund to assist any student facing an immediate financial hardship.

DU benefits from the diversity of our people. Our various experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and customs allow us to create knowledge, address some of the world’s most vexing challenges, prepare students to lead in an increasingly interconnected world, and understand communities near and far as we engage with partners globally. That’s the underpinning of the notion of “One DU.” And though our community represents a full spectrum of perspectives on important issues like immigration, I know we share a commitment to supporting all members of our community as we continue to realize the mission of this university.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Chopp

Chancellor