Hundreds of Undocumented Students and Allies From Across UC Campuses to Hold Opportunity4All Rally
MEDIA ADVISORY for: May 17, 2023
CONTACT: Hayley Burgess, UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy, cilppress@law.ucla.edu, 626-497-2341
Silvia Vazquez, UCLA Labor Center and Dream Resource Center, vazsil89@ucla.edu, 424-354-6069
RALLY AND PRESS CONFERENCE 5/17:
Hundreds of Undocumented Students and Allies From Across UC Campuses to Hold Opportunity4All Rally Outside of UC Regents Meeting at UCLA
Rally to come as University of California nears decision on proposal to remove hiring restrictions for undocumented students
WHAT: On May 17th, the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, hundreds of students and allies will join undocumented student leaders and civil rights icon Rev. James Lawson Jr. for a rally at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to urge the University of California (UC) leadership to remove hiring restrictions for students who don’t have access to DACA or any other form of immigration status.
Leading scholars of immigration and constitutional law from around the country have shown the University of California has the power under existing law to provide its undocumented students equal access to educational employment opportunities. While the UC has yet to meet directly with students to discuss the removal of hiring restrictions, they are expected to reach a decision on the proposal at the UC Regents May 18th meeting at UCLA this week.
At the rally, undocumented students will share their stories alongside civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson Jr. to urge that no student be barred from opportunities on UC campuses simply because of their immigration status. “We are organizing for our right to an equitable education. We are organizing for our right to be treated like our peers and have the same opportunities. We know the UC has the authority to treat us the same as all other students. The question is whether they are willing to do what is right,” said Diana Ortiz Aguilar, Opportunity4All student organizer, UC Berkeley.
“In over half a year of mobilization, UC President Drake has not met, and in fact, refuses to meet with us, the undocumented students he vowed to protect. Undocumented students call TIME’S UP! No more stalling, no more fake promises, it’s time to act. If Drake and the UC won’t listen, well, we’ll just have to be so loud they can’t ignore us,” said Jeffry Umaña Muñoz, UCLA student and Undocumented Student-Led Network (USN) leader.
WHEN: Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 12:30pm PT; Please RSVP: tinyurl.com/O4All-Rally
WHERE: Bruin Walk at UCLA campus near the steps of Kerckhoff Hall (308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095). For additional information, please contact Hayley or Silvia (listed above).
WHO:
- Reverend James Lawson Jr., Civil and workers’ rights leader and teacher of nonviolence
- Karely Amaya, UCLA graduate student and USN organizer
- Vanessa, Opportunity4All Student Organizer, UC Irvine
- Leo, Opportunity4All Student Organizer, UC Berkeley
- Kent Wong, Director of the UCLA Labor Center
- Ju Hong, Director of the UCLA Dream Resource Center
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
Because the protections provided by DACA have never been updated, almost all undocumented youth now entering higher education are not eligible for its protections. In California, there are already approximately 44,326 undocumented college students who are not eligible for DACA, and 27,000 undocumented students graduating from high school each year. Undocumented students in California cannot apply for jobs and other employment opportunities simply because of their status. This includes graduate student researcher and teaching assistant positions, work study jobs, paid internships, and student leadership positions in campus organizations, and other educational and professional opportunities for deeper involvement with their institutions.
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About UCLA CILP:
Founded in 2020, the Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law expands the law school’s role as a national leader in immigration law and policy, generating innovative ideas at the intersection of immigration scholarship and practice and serving as a hub for transforming those ideas into meaningful changes in immigration policy.
About the UCLA Labor Center:
The UCLA Labor Center believes that a public university belongs to the people and should advance quality education and employment for all. Every day we bring together workers, students, faculty, and policymakers to address the most critical issues facing working people today. Our research, education, and policy work lifts industry standards, creates jobs that are good for communities, and strengthens immigrant rights, especially for students and youth. The UCLA Labor Center is housed in the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, a multidisciplinary research center dedicated to the study, teaching, and discussion of labor and employment issues at UCLA.
About the Undocumented Student-Led Network:
The mission of the Undocumented Student-Led Network (USN) is to create a statewide network of immigrant youth leaders to work towards advancing an immigrant reform agenda. USN commits to expand and advocate for undocumented student resources, as well as build community and create safe spaces across campuses. Ultimately, the USN aims to uplift undocumented voices and accurately portray the undocumented experience.
About the UCLA Dream Resource Center:
The UCLA Dream Resource Center (DRC), a program team of the UCLA Labor Center, trains the next generation of diverse leaders—immigrant youth and allies with lived experiences—to be at the forefront of social justice movements and achieve equity and justice for workers, families, and communities.
