The University of California issued a statement Wednesday saying that it will protect its students who are living in the country illegally.
In the statement, the university system outlined a series of principles following a meeting between UC President Janet Napolitano and staff who coordinate support for students who don’t have legal status.
RELATED: Cross-Border Region Reacts To Trump Victory With Fear
“While we still do not know what policies and practices the incoming federal administration may adopt, given the many public pronouncements made during the presidential campaign and its aftermath, we felt it necessary to reaffirm that UC will act upon its deeply held conviction that all members of our community have the right to work, study, and live safely and without fear at all UC locations,” Napolitano said in the statement.
The principles are outlined as follows:
- The university will continue to admit students consistent with its nondiscrimination policies so that undocumented students will be considered for admission under the same criteria as U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- No confidential student records will be released without a judicial warrant, subpoena or court order, unless authorized by the student or required by law.
- No UC campus police department will undertake joint efforts with local, state or federal law enforcement agencies to investigate, detain or arrest individuals for violation of federal immigration law.
- Campus police officers will not contact, detain, question or arrest any individual solely on the basis of (suspected) undocumented immigration status.
- The university will not cooperate with any federal effort to create a registry of individuals based on any protected characteristics such as religion, national origin, race or sexual orientation.
- UC medical centers will treat all patients without regard to race, religion, national origin, citizenship or other protected characteristics and will vigorously enforce nondiscrimination and privacy laws and policies.
The move comes one day after the California State University, along with UC and California Community Colleges, sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump asking him to preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program so that students without legal status can continue their education.
RELATED: Mexican Consulate Of San Diego Announces Program To Support Immigrants
Last week, school leaders from across San Diego County pledged to keep their schools open to vulnerable students and are planning to hold a rally on Dec. 14 in Old Town.
“We want every child in San Diego, California and the nation to know that schools are safe places, where you are welcome, no matter your religious background, gender identity or country of national origin,” Superintendent Cindy Marten of San Diego Unified said in a statement. “We refuse to let our students be defined by the way others see them. For us, students are defined by their dreams, and we support the dreams of every single one of our students.”
The San Diego Community College District issued a statement two days after the general election reaffirming that they are “committed to our mission of inclusion and support for the great diversity of our student population.”
San Diego law enforcement agencies have also said they will not change their policies based on Trump’s efforts to deter illegal immigration.
