September 5, 2017
Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon University Community,
The White House decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is a matter of great concern for Carnegie Mellon University, and for colleges and universities across the United States. In the strongest terms, we urge our representatives, and all of Congress, to act quickly to find a solution for the children and young adults whose futures are in jeopardy.
DACA allowed students who entered the U.S. as children, were raised here, and did nothing wrong, to avoid immediate deportation on the basis of their immigration status. While CMU does not have a large population directly covered by DACA, an action like this that would deny even one of our students a CMU education and membership in our community is deeply distressing. And the potential fate of the children and young adults covered by DACA, who have so much to offer, is morally troubling to all of us.
So let us take this occasion to restate: A diverse and inclusive community is the foundation for excellence in learning, research, creativity and human development. We stand by CMU’s most recent statement in support of DACA students as well as specific commitments the university has made, including these:
- Consistent with the Statement of Assurance, the university does not discriminate based on immigration status.
- University Police do not inquire about citizenship or immigration status as a matter of routine policing to keep the campus and community safe.
- The university does not voluntarily provide information about the immigration status or nationality of individual students to federal agencies or other outside organizations or individuals, except where required to do so by law.
- In rare cases in which federal agents have needed to reach out to current students, the university has offered to students to serve as a liaison to assist them in understanding their obligations under the law. The university provides referral to legal counsel with immigration expertise when it is in a student’s best interest to retain counsel.
Any community member with concerns or questions about their own status can contact Linda Gentile directly at oie@andrew.cmu.edu. We will do all within our power to help ensure every student can finish their CMU degree. Broader updates will be posted on the Office of International Education website, and an informal Q & A session will take place on Thursday, September 7th, at 5 p.m. in the Student Center for Diversity and Inclusion in the lower level of the Cohon University Center.
As a community, we stand united and determined to support DACA students and members of our community from all walks of life, across the globe.
Sincerely,
Farnam Jahanian
Interim President