UC Davis chancellor endorses DACA
Trump administration restores protections for DACA recipients
UC Davis Chancellor Gary May has endorsed an effort by the Trump administration to fully restore the Obama- era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that shields hundreds of thousands of young people from deportation, complying with a federal judge’s order.
The Department of Homeland Security posted on its website that it is accepting new applications, petitions for two- year renewals and requests for permission to temporarily leave the U. S.
The department said it “may seek relief from the order,” signaling that its concession to the court order may be short- lived if its legal efforts succeed.
The announcement is still a victory for young people who have been unable to apply since Trump ended DACA in September 2017. His administration has long argued that DACA is unconstitutional.
May, commenting on the action Monday, celebrated the decision.
“Here at UC Davis, we have a dedicated community of undocumented and DACA recipient students from across the globe,” May stated. “These students — many of whom are the first in their families to attend college — contribute to our rich diversity of cultures and perspectives that is integral to our success as a global
university.”
The U. S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Trump violated federal law in how he ended the program. At the time, acting Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf said the administration would study its options and, until then, wouldn’t accept new applications and would grant renewals for one year instead two.
DACA shields about 650,000 people from deportation and makes them eligible for work permits. California is home to nearly 200,000 DACA recipients, with
approximately 4,000 students in the UC system.
“This ruling is a huge relief to so many valued members of our UC Davis community,” May stated after the June decision. “While UC Davis — and the entire UC system — has been consistent in its support for DACA, our undocumented community has faced incredible stress and uncertainty as they awaited this decision over the past two years.”
Monday’s announcement came hours before a deadline set by District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in the Eastern District of New York for the administration to post public notice that it would accept applications under terms before Trump ended DACA in 2017. The judge ruled Friday that Wolf was unlawfully serving in his position.
DACA was started in 2012 during the Obama administration. It allows certain immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children to work and be exempt from deportation, though it does not confer legal status on recipients.
President- elect Joe Biden has pledged to reinstate DACA when he takes office in January but permanent legal status and a path to citizenship would require congressional approval.
DACA recipients and their supporters greeted the news with a mix of elation and awareness that their futures are precarious, even with Biden’s support.
“While this decision is a great step forward, a permanent solution for DACA, Temporary Protected Status and many other undocumented immigrant students is needed, including a path to citizenship,” May stated. “Undocumented immigrant students must have access to the basic and human rights afforded to U. S. citizens.”