Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
Late last fall, I joined more than 600 higher education leaders across the nation in asking then-President-elect Trump to protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA allows some undocumented immigrants who arrived in this country as children to be spared from deportation and makes them eligible for two-year renewable work permits.
My position on DACA has not changed. Many of the beneficiaries of DACA are college students or recent graduates who hold such promise. In many cases, they only know life in America, and they should not be made to suffer consequences for the actions of their parents who brought them to this country. As a state and nation, we have already invested in the education of these students as they pursue studies in business, education, high-tech and other critical areas. Let’s allow these young people to continue to contribute to the economy and their communities as they pursue their dreams here in America. I think it’s the right thing to do, and we will help our students with resources and other services during this period of uncertainty.
In the meantime, I want to reassure the university community that we do not collect or maintain information on individuals’ immigration status except when required by law to do so. That information is kept private unless the university is legally obligated to disclose it.
Sincerely,
John Thrasher
President, Florida State University