Princeton, Microsoft and Princeton graduate Maria Perales Sanchez are co-plaintiffs in a case that challenged the government’s decision to end DACA.

Princeton and Microsoft continue their support of DACA program with new federal filing

(From left) Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber; Princeton Vice President and General Counsel Ramona Romero; Princeton Associate University Counsel Wes Markham; Microsoft Assistant General Counsel Cindy Randall; Princeton Class of 2018 graduate Maria Perales Sanchez; Lindsay Harrison, litigator and partner at Jenner & Block; and Microsoft President and Princeton University Trustee Brad Smith stand in front of the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2019. Princeton, Microsoft and Perales Sanchez were co-plaintiffs in a case that challenged the government’s decision to end DACA.

Princeton University and Microsoft have filed a comment in support of the federal government’s latest proposal to preserve and strengthen the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. Princeton and Microsoft’s Nov. 29 comment follows their recent successful Supreme Court suit to preserve the DACA program, which provides legal protections for undocumented individuals who arrived in the United States as children.

In a cover letter to the filing, Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber and Microsoft President and University Trustee Brad Smith said: “Princeton and Microsoft are proud to join together in support of the proposed rule because we know first-hand the importance of DACA and the invaluable contributions that DACA recipients have made to higher education, the economy, and our country. Indeed, DACA is so important to us that Princeton and Microsoft filed suit, along with a Princeton alumna who was then an enrolled student, to stop its attempted rescission in 2017. We and our co-litigants eventually prevailed in the Supreme Court. We applaud the Administration for its efforts to strengthen and fortify this important policy.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed a new federal rule to preserve and strengthen the DACA program. DACA permits undocumented individuals who arrived in the country as children to obtain protection from deportation and work legally in the United States.

“At Princeton, DACA recipients have been among our most accomplished and respected students. They conduct research, earn academic honors, serve in leadership roles on campus, and otherwise help enhance our learning environment. The benefits bestowed by DACA allow our students to participate in all aspects of the university experience, including study abroad, internships, and university-related travel,” the letter said.

The letter also continued to urge Congress to pass legislation that would provide permanent protection and a path to citizenship for DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers.

Princeton has been a leading voice in higher education regarding immigration issues. In July, Eisgruber was among more than 400 university presidents, CEOs and civic leaders who signed a letter from the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration that urged the Senate to pass bipartisan legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Previously, Eisgruber joined hundreds of colleges and universities in issuing a statement supporting DACA in 2016, and he advocated for the continuation of the DACA program in an August 2017 letter to President Donald Trump.

In 2019, Eisgruber and higher education leaders across New Jersey sent a letter to the state’s Congressional delegation about the obstacles their institutions face in attracting and retaining international faculty, students and staff. Princeton also expressed concern for international students who continue to be impacted by governmental delays in approving Optional Practical Training (OPT) for employment and internships in the United States. Eisgruber has also urged members of Congress to pass legislation that would provide legal status for immigrants living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status. 

Cover letter from President Eisgruber and Microsoft’s Brad Smith, underscoring the significant impact of Dreamers:

On behalf of Princeton University and Microsoft Corporation, we submit the following comments in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s proposed rule on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DHS Docket No. USCIS-2021-0006, published September 28, 2021).

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a wise and humane policy. It is critically important to DACA recipients, their families and communities, their employers, and society more broadly. Princeton and Microsoft are proud to join together in support of the proposed rule because we know first-hand the importance of DACA and the invaluable contributions that DACA recipients have made to higher education, the economy, and our country. Indeed, DACA is so important to us that Princeton and Microsoft filed suit, along with a Princeton alumna who was then an enrolled student, to stop its attempted rescission in 2017. We and our co-litigants eventually prevailed in the Supreme Court.

We applaud the Administration for its efforts to strengthen and fortify this important policy, and we are pleased to offer the attached comments and suggestions on the proposed rule.

Undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children – a group commonly referred to as DREAMers – grew up in this country and attended our schools. Many now have children who were born in this country and are American citizens. They regard the United States as their home, and they contribute tremendously to our communities and our economy. DACA provides a path by which they can further their education, obtain work, pay taxes, contribute to Social Security, seek healthcare, and travel. DACA enables these law-abiding individuals to live as productive members of society and to work at companies like Microsoft without constant fear of removal. It allows them to feel secure enough to invest in their future and the future of this country.

For the past decade, Princeton and Microsoft have relied on the legal protections provided by the 2012 Napolitano Memorandum, as well as the work authorization for DREAMers that deferred action makes possible. At Princeton, DACA recipients have been among our most accomplished and respected students. They conduct research, earn academic honors, serve in leadership roles on campus, and otherwise help enhance our learning environment. The benefits bestowed by DACA allow our students to participate in all aspects of the university experience, including study abroad, internships, and university-related travel. DACA also allows these students to secure employment upon graduation, using their education, talent, and training to thrive as members of our society and make our communities and our country stronger. At Microsoft, we employ more than five dozen DACA recipients who serve in critical roles and make invaluable contributions to our company. Microsoft benefits from and relies on their talents in a range of areas and has a significant interest in retaining these employees. Other educational institutions and companies and, indeed, our economy and nation benefit similarly. We would all be significantly and negatively impacted by the loss of DREAMers.

Just as our country has come to rely on the contributions of DACA recipients, DACA recipients rely on DACA in their pursuit of the American Dream. Deferred action has allowed millions of motivated individuals to pursue their educations, develop their talents, and seek employment. Without the full breadth of these protections, they would be confined to living in the shadows, unable to contribute freely and fully to the communities around them. They should be reassured, through concrete action by our government, that their contributions are welcomed and valued. And the businesses and institutions that benefit from their contributions should be reassured that these valuable community members will be treated justly.

We encourage DHS to exercise its statutory authority to establish fair rules that uphold long-standing protections for DREAMers and take all actions appropriate to fortify DACA. We also urge Congress to pass legislation that would provide permanent protection and a path to citizenship for these individuals. Legislative action is the only way to ensure the long-term protection that DREAMers deserve and require; enacting it would be just, humane, and beneficial to the national interest.

Sincerely,

Christopher L. Eisgruber
President 
Princeton University

Bradford L. Smith
President, Vice Chair
Microsoft Corporation