Dear students, faculty and staff:

I am deeply troubled by President Trump’s decision to end the executive order on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program over the next six months. DACA was introduced in 2012 to protect immigrants who came to the United States as children and allows them to enroll in college, work legally, and obtain a driver’s license. Since that time, nearly 800,000 young people have benefited from the program.

Now, the future of DACA is up to our legislative leaders, and we, at the U, encourage them to recognize the talent and dedication of our students and the value they contribute to society by supporting legislation for them. I want you to know that the University of Utah is unwavering in its commitment to undocumented students (with or without DACA), many of whom are feeling tremendous fear and anxiety as a result of today’s decision. We are currently evaluating whether changes in federal law will have an impact on existing Utah law, and we will keep those impacted apprised of what we learn.

Having a diverse community is a core value at the University of Utah, and we welcome students from around the world. It is through this lens that we, as a research university, are able to grow and contribute to the knowledge that will lead us into the future. 

The U’s Dream Center is here to support undocumented students and their families by providing specialized mentoring and support, from college access to graduation and beyond. If you have questions or need support, please do not hesitate to contact the center at dream@utah.edu or 801-581-3470.

If you know of anyone who would like to make a donation to support Dreamers in their pursuit of education, please direct them here. If you would like to encourage our representatives and senators to support DACA, you can find their contact information here. We stand behind investing in these young people, who are such a vital part of the University of Utah community.

David W. Pershing
President
University of Utah