ACLU SoCal Statement on Loma Linda University's Revised Enrollment Policy Concerning Immigration Status

Please attribute the following statement to Katie Traverso, staff attorney with the ACLU of Southern California (ACLU SoCal):

The ACLU SoCal applauds Loma Linda University’s (LLU) announcement that it will no longer deny students enrollment based on their immigration status, which, as detailed in our June 9, 2016 letter, constitutes alienage discrimination in violation of federal civil rights law.
Recognizing that “immigrant status is not a legitimate basis for denying students admission,” LLU’s revised policy provides that it will not bar students who are undocumented or recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) from “admission and matriculation based on their lack of documentation as an immigrant.”
We are also heartened by LLU’s statement that it is taking steps to identify students like Veronica Velasquez who were wrongfully denied enrollment based on their immigration status. LLU should act promptly to identify all such students. We have heard from other students who were also denied enrollment at LLU simply because they were undocumented.
We encourage would-be students to contact the ACLU SoCal if they face discrimination by other California universities because of their immigration status.

Media contact: Tony Marcano, 213.977.5242, tmarcano@aclusocal.org