From the President: Western Supports Our Undocumented Students

Dear Western Community,

As you are probably aware, there is talk about ending or changing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Western Washington University has been, and continues to be, strongly opposed to ending a program that provides hope and opportunity for more than 800,000 young people across the country, including many Western students, their families and friends. We are working with other universities in Washington State, and around the country, to collectively urge the Trump Administration to leave DACA in place unchanged.

We have little information about the changes that might be made to DACA, nor about what the immediate consequences of any changes, or legal responses to them, might be. What we do know is that Western`s commitment to our undocumented students, and our policies regarding immigration status will not change. We will continue to monitor the situation at the national and the local level so that we can proactively plan to protect student safety and provide educational support.

If you or someone you know may be affected by a change to DACA, I encourage you to seek out the information and resources available through Student Outreach Services. We will be updating these resources regularly as more information becomes available.

At a time when all Western students should be able to focus on preparing for the academic year and their bright futures beyond Western, I know this speculation about changing DACA is enormously stressful. For those who may be personally affected by potential changes to DACA, please know that Western is here for you and that we are committed to your safety and success.  You are a valued part of our Western family and we will do everything in our power to support and assist you on your journey.

Sincerely,

Sabah Randhawa

President