Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie has issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling today blocking the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
McRobbie said:
"Indiana University applauds the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to block termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children from deportation.
"IU has 240 DACA recipients, or 'Dreamers,' who were enrolled across our campuses this past academic year. They, along with graduates who live and work here, bring rich perspectives and experiences to our campuses and communities.
"These high-achieving students and alumni are Americans in every sense but immigration status. They were brought to this country as children, worked hard for their education, and many now work and pay taxes in the U.S. Their contributions help strengthen the civic, cultural, social and economic fabric of the country.
"In October, IU joined 165 colleges and universities in signing an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to continue protections for Dreamers. The court's decision to do so ensures that our communities will continue to benefit from critical talent, diversity and leadership that cannot be replaced.
"The court's decision on DACA comes just days after it held, in a separate decision, that employers cannot discriminate against their employees by firing them due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Both of these rulings reinforce IU's longstanding commitment to fostering a safe, diverse and inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their personal characteristics or country of origin.
"To IU's DACA students, we celebrate today's momentous decision with you and are extremely grateful that the court has removed some of the fear and uncertainty you have unfortunately been living with for the last few years. And we will continue to fight for you.
"We will work within the bounds of the law to support you in the pursuit of your dreams, and, as expressed on our comprehensive DACA @ IU website, we will continue to vigorously investigate and refer for prosecution anyone who threatens, intimidates or harasses any member of our community. And we will continue and intensify IU's long-standing advocacy for expanded access to higher education for all IU students living in the U.S."