The United States Department of Justice sent a letter on Friday, Sept. 26, to the U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announcing that it had received reports about the University of Nevada, Reno’s UndocuPack office, which provides support for undocumented students.
The letter raises concerns that the office may be directing students toward financial aid, scholarships and career opportunities, potentially conflicting with federal restrictions on benefits for undocumented immigrants under the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.
University of Nevada, Reno, President Brian Sandoval was also informed of the matter, which has been referred to the Department of Education for investigation.
The letter suggests that the UndocuPack program is violating federal law by providing public resources to “illegal aliens,” and urges the Department of Education to investigate whether UNR is “using taxpayer funds [to] subsidize or promote illegal immigration.” It also appears to quote a recent article published in OurTownReno, in which UndocuPack director Janet Najera spoke about what the program does.
As of Sept. 29, the UndocuPack website and Instagram have been taken down.
The following statement was provided to the Nevada Sagebrush by University Communications:
“Late Friday afternoon, the University received correspondence from the U.S. Department of Justice. We are currently reviewing the letter and will respond appropriately through the proper legal and administrative channels.
The University remains committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and respectful campus environment for all of our students. We also recognize and uphold our responsibilities under state and federal law, and we will continue to act in accordance with the U.S. Constitution.
As we assess the correspondence from the Department of Justice, our focus remains on ensuring that every student has the opportunity to pursue their educational and professional goals in a safe and welcoming environment.”
“Information regarding the UndocuPack website was removed upon receipt of the letter from the U.S. Department of Justice, allowing us to thoroughly review the program and information at this time, ensuring the program follows state and federal law, and is in accordance with the U.S. Constitution.”
The letter was sent by U.S. Assistant Attorney General, Harmeet Dhillon, and the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, Sigal Chattah. The legality of Chattah’s position as acting attorney is currently being challenged in court, with a decision to be made by a federal judge by the end of September.
Other Nevada universities have faced federal funding cuts due to increased scrutiny from the Trump administration on initiatives supporting underserved students.
The College of Southern Nevada’s TRIO program, which supports first-generation college students, ended after the administration cut its funding, citing that “the proposed activities take account of race in ways that conflict with the Department’s policy of prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education.” The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has also had funding cuts to its TRIO program.
At Nevada State University, the school’s Office of Community, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion was shuttered in May of this year. Administration claimed the closure had long been underway, but reporting from the Nevada Current indicates that some students and faculty see it within the context of national pressure to dismantle diversity initiatives.
This article was updated at 10:40 a.m. on Sept. 29 to add that the UndocuPack website and Instagram page have been removed.
This article was updated at 11:35 a.m. on Sept. 29 to include an official statement from UNR.
This article was updated at 12:55 p.m. on Sept. 29 to include an additional official statement from UNR.
This is a developing story. The Nevada Sagebrush will publish any new information as we receive it.
Riley Overstreet can be reached via email at roverstreet@unr.edu and James Wolfgang Perez can be reached via email at jamesperez@unr.edu.
