Privacy and Non-Discrimination
The confidentiality of student and personnel records is deeply important at Penn. The university keeps student and personnel records private and will not share such information with immigration agencies unless legally compelled to do so. Any Penn office that receives a request for information from an immigration enforcement agency should route that request to the Office of General Counsel. The Penn Division of Public Safety does not have responsibility for immigration enforcement. Consistent with the approach of law enforcement agencies in Philadelphia, it does not inquire about immigration status in the normal course of its duties and will not participate with other agencies in immigration enforcement activities unless legally required to do so.
Penn Law Transnational Legal Clinic
215-898-8044
The Penn Law Transnational Legal Clinic is available to provide DACAmented and undocumented members of the Penn community free and confidential legal consultations to answer any questions pertaining to immigration status and possible immigration enforcement actions. Clinic office hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm. Appointments are preferred.
If you need legal representation, the clinic will either represent you directly or provide you with a referral to an outside immigration lawyer.
If you are an international student and are here on an F-1, J-1, or H-1 visa, you should first contact International Student and Scholar Services at isss@pobox.upenn.edu or 215-898-4661.
If you require immediate assistance – e.g., if you or someone you know has been taken into custody by immigration or law enforcement – contact 215-898-4357 (215-898-HELP) for 24-hour assistance to be connected to necessary services.
Undocumented students and those with DACA status may wish to consult external resources in the Philadelphia region or nationally. Examples of resources that could be helpful include the following, none of which are explicitly endorsed by the university:
National Resources
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Educators for Fair Consideration, includes scholarship information and resources for faculty and staff working with undocumented students
National Immigration Law Center
USCIS DACA
United States Department of Education Supporting Undocumented Youth
Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Resources
African Cultural Alliance of North America
HIAS PA, statewide immigration organization offering immigration and legal services
Penn State Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic: Immigration After the Election
Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
Philadelphia Pro Bono Legal Services
Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition
Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians