AAUP Joins ACE Letter Urging Congress to Pass DACA Legislation

The AAUP signed on to a September 12 letter to congressional leaders urging them to pass legislation that would offer permanent protection to individuals currently participating in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Over seventy-five associations joined the community letter, initiated by the American Council on Education following the Trump administration's decision to rescind the policy that enabled nearly 800,000 individuals to receive temporary protection through the DACA program.

The AAUP issued a statement on September 5 denouncing the administration's decision to end the DACA program, which provides renewable, two-year work permits to immigrants brought to this country as children. A large number of individuals granted DACA are enrolled in colleges or universities. As ACE president Ted Mitchell wrote in the community letter, "Colleges and universities have seen these remarkable people up close, in our classrooms and as our colleagues and friends. Despite the challenges they face, they have made an incredible mark on our country and economy. They should continue to be able to do so. If we are unable to protect these Dreamers, we will be shutting the door to an entire generation of individuals who only seek to contribute their best to America."

On August 2, the AAUP also signed on to a letter, along with over thirty-five other higher education and immigration organizations, sent by Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities president and CEO Antonio R. Flores to members of Congress who introduced Dream Act of 2017 legislation. The letter thanks Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard R. Durbin and Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lucille Royball-Allard for working on a bipartisan basis to advance legislation that would benefit as many as 1.8 million undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children.