Chancellor Ronnie Green has offered information and support to students attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln under the protection of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.
“You are welcome here and we want you to be successful,” Green said in a Sept. 8 message to campus.
The statement was linked to a document with answers to frequently asked questions about how President Trump’s decision to end DACA will affect students and university personnel.
President Trump recently ordered that the DACA program be ended in six months unless Congress replaces it. Enacted by administrative order in 2012, the program provides work authorization and deportation protections to eligible individuals who were brought to the United States as children.
Although DACA recipients should seek out resources for help, Green urged the students to continue to attend classes as normal.
For specific legal questions about DACA, students should contact an immigration attorney, Green said, mentioning ImmigrationLawHelp.org, a website to help low-income immigrants find legal help. For general questions and assistance with personal situations, students should contact Charlie Foster, assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs at 402-472-5500.
A frequently asked questions document lists a variety of resources and services available in the community, state and nation, as well as counseling and other support services available at Nebraska and other system institutions. DACA recipient students are advised against traveling outside the country and to return to the United States as soon as possible if they are presently abroad. The document also notes that students remain eligible for in-state tuition rates, established via state law and Board of Regents policy. The document says that the university will comply with federal law and lawful subpoenas, although it will not serve as a law enforcement agency and it will “proactively protect” its educational mission so that learning and research can continue with minimal disruption.
“My very best to all of you for a constructive, fulfilling and enjoyable fall semester,” Green concluded. “It’s my hope that you engage, work hard and invest in getting the most from your educational experience as a Husker.”
