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The University of California, Berkeley is working to end the detention of one of its undocumented students who was detained by the Department of Homeland Security after allegedly overstaying his visa. The university's chancellor and student activists are keen on "taking all appropriate actions to support the student's interests so that he may continue his studies and his life as a valued member of [the] community."
Luis Mora was arrested on December 30 by U.S. Border Patrol agents after he and his girlfriend - while driving home from a party - took a wrong turn and ended up at an immigration checkpoint. Mora is being held in a temporary cell and UC Berkeley is trying to ensure that he has "access to legal services and other resources to end his detention."
In a recent statement, Chancellor Carol Christ said that she sends "a message of support and solidarity to the Berkeley students who are making extraordinary efforts to secure the release of our student detained near the U.S-Mexico border." Mora came to the U.S. when he was 11 years old, and was granted a tourist visa while his mother received breast cancer treatment. Jaleen Udarbe, Mora's girlfriend, "confirmed that he is not part of the DACA program," further stating that "He came here in 2009, which was a little after the cut-off date for it."
A bipartisan meeting will be held today at the White House over immigration policy in an attempt to come to an agreement before the January 19 long-term spending deadline.