From the moment the future of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) became uncertain, Dartmouth has actively assisted and supported our DACA students.
- College officials, including the President, have fiercely advocated for the continuation of DACA or new legislation that would ensure that those who were brought to this country as children and have obtained protections under DACA can continue to pursue their studies freely and without fear.
- Dartmouth has joined several amicus briefs filed with the U.S. Supreme Court (March 2016 and October 2019) and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (July 2018) in support of expansion and continuation of the DACA program and the implementation of the DAPA program.
- The Office of Visa and Immigration Services has hosted on-campus information sessions conducted by external immigration experts and will continue to do so. The College also offers students, on request, referrals to legal services related to DACA, including outside attorneys, nonprofit legal clinics, and advocacy organizations. Financial assistance is available as needed. We have also defrayed DACA renewal filing fees for students who could not afford them and established a system through Student Affairs that enables students with demonstrated need to request assistance with the cost of DACA-related fees. Our DACA resource page also includes a link to ImmigrationLawHelp.org, a network of low-cost or free providers across the country.
- We are in ongoing contact with the ACLU, which seeks to ensure the rights of individuals who are subject to U.S. Customs and Border Protection policies as they use public transportation in the Upper Valley, given the area's proximity to an international border. Our aim is to ensure that we are able to share the most timely and accurate information with students about invoking their rights. OVIS has offered several "Know Your Rights" sessions in 2018 and most recently in October 2019, which were open to all students, faculty, and staff, with presenters from the New Hampshire affiliate of the ACLU.
- As a matter of course, Dartmouth's Department of Safety and Security does not inquire about immigration or citizenship status, nor does it have the authority to detain individuals on that basis or make arrests. Dartmouth does not normally grant access to non-public campus property or disclose information about students, faculty, or staff to any third parties in the absence of a subpoena, warrant, or other legal authorization.
- Dartmouth continues to meet the full need of all admitted students. If students are unable to work for any reason, we assist them in identifying outside scholarships and Dartmouth loans that enable them to defer payment until after graduation.
- Dartmouth maintains a robust infrastructure for mental health resources for DACA and undocumented students, including a website highlighting these resources.
- Dartmouth's Office of Visa and Immigration Services provides and will continue to provide outreach and training to departments, offices, and individual faculty and staff members as well as an annual session for senior administrators on the status of DACA and issues facing DACA/undocumented students.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining an environment free of harassment and discrimination based on immigration or citizenship status.