“Our country’s moral quality is measured by the way we treat those who most need our assistance.”

—President John Garvey

This is a complex and often confusing time in the United States, as numerous questions persist regarding federal policy on immigration. Across the nation, thousands of college students and their families, as well as many workers in a wide variety of positions, are feeling apprehensive because of ongoing uncertainty about their legal status.

As a supportive community of educators, religious, and dedicated lay professionals that respects the dignity of individuals from all backgrounds and values their potential to contribute to the common good of the country, The Catholic University of America is dedicated to providing information, resources, and support services that are responsive to the evolving needs of every member of our campus. We continue to stand with countless other colleges and universities in urging our elected leaders in Congress and the White House to work together, and swiftly, in developing sensible legislation to resolve the current debate over U.S. immigration policy. We also reaffirm our own commitment to diversity and inclusion, and to creating a campus environment at once conducive to our educational mission and true to our moral character.

In this context, The Catholic University of America will continue to:

• Hear and respond comprehensively to the individual needs of our immigrant students and employees
• Vigorously protect the privacy of all of our immigrant students and employees to the extent allowed by the law
• Withhold information about any student or employee’s immigration status from any legal authority absent a valid warrant or other specific court order
• Require that any immigration enforcement agency seeking to interview a student or employee on campus present a valid warrant or subpoena to the University’s General Counsel
• Collaborate with other nonprofit organizations, particularly Catholic Charities, in helping impacted students and employees access immigration legal services
• Work diligently to protect members of the Catholic University community from discrimination and any threats to personal liberty, individual dignity or academic freedom
• Recruit talented, high-achieving students, faculty, and staff regardless of national or ethnic origins
• Honor financial assistance commitments to students attending under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program if their DACA status expires
• Consult with legal professionals, immigration experts, national higher education associations, and colleagues at peer institutions to analyze and understand new developments and leverage our combined strength in effecting positive change
• Support new legislation that secures the futures of students and other newcomers, immigrants, and refugees who only seek to make a better life for themselves in America

Although much remains uncertain, one thing is not: the University’s mission, our shared work, and our people—all of our people—matter. We welcome, value and believe in our Dreamers and other immigrant members of our community, and will continue to take the necessary steps so that they might pursue their goals for education and personal fulfillment here at Catholic University.

“Be not forgetful to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so have some entertained angels unawares.”

—Hebrews 13:2