Dear Marquette community:
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court started hearing oral arguments in a case that will eventually determine the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. We are writing to the campus community today to express Marquette’s unequivocal support for DACA recipients, their families and others who may be affected by this issue.
Since 2012, DACA has provided temporary reprieve from deportation and employment authorization to over 825,000 young undocumented immigrants, some of whom are our students, alumni, family members and friends. For many young immigrants, DACA has been a lifeline. In addition to gains in education, employment and other indicators of quality of life, the temporary protection from deportation has provided psychological benefits for these young immigrants who call this country their home.
If the rescission of DACA is upheld by the Supreme Court, it will have far-reaching detrimental effects. Marquette’s Catholic, Jesuit tradition calls us to stand in solidarity with those whose lives hang in the balance and our mission calls us to provide personal care to each member of our community who maybe affected.
To all the Dreamers in our Marquette family, you are valued. Your courage, resilience and persistence in the face of overwhelming challenges is admired. Marquette continues to advocate for you, including actively lobbying for the DREAM Act and other legislative proposals that would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth.
If you are affected by this issue or know someone who is, please know that we have a number of resources available to support undocumented students, including the Dreamers Discussion Group, the Dreamers Support Committee chaired by Dr. Marla Delgado Guerrero, our Counseling Center, the Center for Engagement and Inclusion, and the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion.
And university employees, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the guidance for protecting our students’ privacy.
The Supreme Court case is expected to be decided by June 2020. If you are a DACA recipient and your permit is set to expire before the end of 2020, we urge you to consider reapplying as soon as possible.
Marquette supports you. Regardless of the Supreme Court decision, we will continue to welcome Dreamers to our campus with open arms.
We are ALL Marquette!
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael R. Lovell
President
Dr. Kimo Ah Yun
Acting Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. William Welburn
Vice President for Inclusive Excellence
Dr. Xavier A. Cole
Vice President for Student Affairs
