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September 5, 2017 Dear Members of our Campus Community, Earlier today, the White House announced the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Since 2012, this program has protected from deportation young undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, and allowed them to obtain work permits and pursue their dream of a college education. I write to express my deep concern for our students and family members who are affected by this decision. As a university community, we stand by our students and pledge our continued and unwavering support. Earlier today, President Napolitano issued a statement in support of our students and calling on the U.S. Congress to immediately pass legislation that “charts a secure pathway toward citizenship and allows these Dreamers to continue to live, work, and serve the only country most of them know as home.” I join with President Napolitano and my fellow UC chancellors in advocating for our students and pledging to continue to work to address their needs. We also plan to work with other universities and educational organizations, and confer with our elected representatives in Washington, D.C., in a concerted national effort to advocate for all of our students. We are proud of the dedication, perseverance, and remarkable achievements of our DACAstudents, and we profoundly appreciate their contributions to our university and our society. I have met and talked with many of these students of ours, who have already demonstrated their commitment to education by working hard, graduating from high school, and enrolling in UC, and now have the worthy goal of completing their degrees and becoming citizens. We care about the well-being of every member of our academic community, and believe all students, regardless of their immigration status, should have the opportunity to participate fully in our university life. For information about support and resources available for our students through our Undocumented Student Services program and Dream Scholars Resource Team, including free immigration-related legal services from the UC Undocumented Legal Services Center, please visit http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/ I would like to thank all of our students, faculty, and staff who work so hard to help us be an informed, compassionate, and supportive community. At UC Santa Barbara, it is part of our core values to provide all students with access to an outstanding education, and to work collaboratively to foster an environment that allows for the realization of the full potential of every member of our community. Sincerely, Henry T. Yang |