Dear UT Dallas community,
The United States Supreme Court has declined to take up a case concerning the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, saying that the case should first be heard by an appeals court. For now, DACA will stay in place.
In response to the continuing uncertainty about the status of DACA, UT System Chancellor William H. McRaven has issued a statement to students across the System, which I am including here. I join in his expressed concern for the well-being of DACA recipients and the importance of their promising futures.
The UT Dallas International Center has compiled a list of resources and support that is useful for DACA recipients. I encourage you to share this information with anyone who might need it.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to repeat my previously stated support of DACA. Our nation needs bright and talented individuals, and these students represent America at its finest.
Sincerely,
Dr. Richard C. Benson
President
Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership
Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court declined the Department of Homeland Security's request to fast-track its appeal of a federal court injunction against the Trump Administration's plans to rescind DACA. Before the injunction was put into place, DACA was scheduled to end on March 5, 2018. The Supreme Court's decision means the DACA policy will continue until the lawsuit ends, Congress acts, or the President alters his earlier decision.
I was pleased to see the Supreme Court decide that the DACA program will remain in place for now. If you are a DACA recipient, your time on one of our 14 campuses should be marked by your hard work, determination and enlightenment — not by anxiety about your future.
I, along with UT institution presidents, strongly believe in the benefits of DACA and encourage Congress to act quickly to continue the program and create a pathway for you to fulfill what I trust is your dream, to become a citizen of our great nation.
If you are a DACA recipient, we also encourage you to immediately renew your status, as the legal and legislative deliberations about the program are probably not over. If you need further information or resources about the DACA program and opportunities to renew your status, please consider visiting some of the websites established by our campuses, including at UT Austin, UTSA and UTEP.
Finally, if you are a DACA recipient, know this: as Congress and the courts continue to consider this issue, the UT System will always follow the law, but rest assured that our campuses will remain places where you can safely live and study.