Dear Students:
We are deeply disappointed in today’s announcement that the administration will end DACA, the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program. We want to assure everyone in the University of Michigan family that we are working to understand all of the implications of this change, the timelines we face, and how members of our community may be affected.
In the meantime, we are aggressively working alongside hundreds of universities, colleges and other organizations to pursue federal legislation that would provide a solution that allows the program to continue. Congressional, state, business, and community leaders from both parties have expressed support for DACA. Today, the University of Michigan signed a letter from the Association of American Universities to Congressional leaders calling for immediate action “so DACA participants may remain in the United States without fear of deportation and so they can continue to contribute to our society.”
Our priority at U-M is ensuring that all of our students and scholars will be able to pursue their ambitions and the opportunities they have earned by being members of our academic community.
While additional information and resources will follow, if you are currently undocumented and not receiving DACA benefits or if you are a DACA beneficiary and your benefits are scheduled to end after March 5, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security – in a list of FAQ shared today – says that the last day for you to file an application or renewal request is today, September 5, 2017. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to do whatever you can to file as soon as possible today, or risk your application or renewal request being rejected by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service.
We know that federal immigration policy is a deeply personal issue of the utmost importance in the lives of members of our community. As we continue to assess the changes in federal immigration policy and directives, we will post updates, as well as resources for support and contact information on our website.
Sincerely,
Mark Schlissel
President
Martin Philbert
Executive Vice President and Provost
