Dear USD Campus Community:

The U.S. Supreme Court voted today in favor of upholding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court also voted in favor of protecting members of the LGBTQ community from unjust discriminatory employment practices. The University of San Diego believes these U.S. Supreme Court decisions are in keeping with Catholic social teaching as well as the university’s mission and represent a big step forward in respecting the dignity of all human beings. The DACA, undocumented, and LGBTQ members of our university community are an integral part of the USD family and represent a spirit of strength and resilience that inspires our entire campus.

As a contemporary Catholic university, the principles of access and inclusion have deep roots on our campus. We recognize the Gospel message to ‘welcome the stranger,’ regardless of citizenship status or nation of origin. It is a joy to welcome our undocumented students who, by pursuing a college degree or serving our campus community, help USD live out its mission every day. They are invaluable members of our community.

We will continue to work together to demand comprehensive immigration reform that embodies our values of compassion, justice, diversity and inclusion. While there is still much work ahead, today is a momentous day for our DACA students and their families, and I wish to reassure our undocumented students, as well as those considering attending our university, that they will continue to find support, safety and solidarity at the University of San Diego.

We also stand in solidarity with the members of the LGBTQ community on our campus. As a university community, we are committed to creating an atmosphere of trust, safety and respect in an environment characterized by a rich diversity of people and ideas.

You can read more about the Supreme Court decision and all the ways in which we are supporting our DACA and undocumented students on our National Dialogue on Immigration website.

Peace,

James T. Harris III, D.Ed.
President