From: Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., President
To: Holy Cross Campus Community
September 1, 2017
Dear Members of the Campus Community,
Many of us have been closely following the news in anticipation of a decision by President Trump on whether to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which could be made and communicated as soon as today. I am deeply troubled by the possibility of the program being repealed.
As a Jesuit college, our institutional mission asks us to explore our obligations to one another and to commit ourselves to the service of faith and promotion of justice. We remain committed to this mission and intend to do all that we can within the limits of federal and state law to support any of our community members who may find themselves impacted by this decision.
Throughout our nation, beneficiaries of the DACA program have blessed our campuses and communities. Issues related to immigration and undocumented persons are critical ones, and I assure you that we are focused on them and will continue to pay attention not only to how issues are being addressed at the national level, but also to how the needs and concerns of those in our campus community are being addressed. Here on our campus, the Offices of Diversity and Inclusion, International Students, Multicultural Education, and Human Resources, as well as our class deans, chaplains and counselors have been and will continue to provide support and referrals to individuals in our community who are touched in any way by this decision or other immigration policies.
We have made legal advice available to students who might be directly impacted by immigration policy changes and we will continue to do so. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion has continued to update the resource page on our website that lists immigration-related resources and support services. This website also includes several letters and policy positions that I have signed, including the most recent on which I joined presidents and over 1300 educators from Jesuit colleges and universities, including many of you, to call on White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly to protect DACA Last winter we hosted an information session and conversation on immigration law by immigration attorney Richard Iandoli, and we are in the process of coordinating a similar session in the coming weeks. As a reminder, any inquiry or request for information from a government agency, including immigration agencies, must be reviewed by the College’s general counsel prior to a response.
I know that many of you are seeking opportunities for action to demonstrate your support for those individuals and groups who continue to be marginalized or oppressed due to immigration policies or any of the other issues facing our community and society today. I encourage you to turn your sentiment into action. The Office of Government and Community Relations maintains a list of volunteer opportunities for anyone interested in engaging through volunteering. In addition, students also have a myriad of opportunities for involvement through SPUD or through student organizations.
As always, I am grateful for the strength and support that this extraordinary community continually offers to each other and to those in our world who need it most. As we consider the possibility of the repeal of DACA, we stand prepared to come together for prayer and solidarity on our campus, and within the Worcester community. I look forward to working with you all in the months ahead as we respond to these issues together.