Now It Is revealed...

The Regents at one point seemed excited about the idea that UC could hire undocumented students, thanks to a loophole in federal law. They formed a committee to study the issue, but then delayed its decision. Now they are supposed to make a decision on Thursday. Maybe. In any event, Politico has an explanation for the delay.

The Biden administration has quietly pushed back against a plan by the University of California to allow thousands of young people without legal immigration status to hold campus jobs. Through a series of recent calls, the Department of Homeland Security pressed UC officials to reconsider what it saw as a direct challenge to federal law during an election year, according to four university officials.

The governing Board of Regents is expected to discuss the proposal on Thursday and could even approve it — amid pressure from pro-immigrant activists who are increasingly concerned about what may happen to the students, and other undocumented people, if former President Donald Trump is reelected. About 4,000 current students could benefit from the change.

...The proposal would challenge a 1986 federal law prohibiting people without immigration status from legally working. The UC seeks to create an exception for people who were largely brought to the U.S. by their parents as children and would previously have been allowed to work under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Students without legal immigration status already attend the University of California while paying in-state tuition.

DHS officials, concerned about a breach of federal law, warned the university that the Biden administration might be forced to sue or take administrative action blocking the effort if the proposal was approved — teeing up an awkward confrontation at a time when the president is already under fire over immigration. People familiar with the discussions say that — because of the legal uncertainty — approval from the regents is in question despite interest in helping undocumented students among some on the board. The panel is made up of Democratic appointees and prominent elected state officials including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.

“It’s complicated because it’s an election year and because of all the legal issues,” said one UC official involved with the negotiations. That official, and others, were granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations.

...Board members, UC President Michael V. Drake and other university officials have grown increasingly skeptical because of the federal pushback and after reviewing outside legal opinions, according to people familiar with the discussion who were granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. “Their main question is: ‘Why now?’” a UC official said of the Biden administration’s position...

Full story at https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/24/biden-undocumented-immigrants-university-of-california-00137449.