August 4, 2021
On July 16, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen ruled that the executive authority to create the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy was illegal, and that only Congress can create such policy. Since then, approval of all new DACA applications is halted and thousands of Dreamers continue to live uncertainty.
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges along with over 60 higher education associations signed on to a letter written by the American Council on Education urging Congress to provide permanent legal protections for DACA recipients and all Dreamers.
In the letter, supporters wrote:
“We have seen these remarkable people up close on our campuses as our students, colleagues, and friends. They work and pay taxes. They serve in the military, teach in our schools, and have served on the front lines of the pandemic as healthcare workers. And tens of thousands of Dreamers have earned or are striving to earn a college degree in institutions across the country. They consider the United States to be their only home. Despite the challenges they face, Dreamers have made incredible contributions to our country and its economy and security. We cannot now shut the door to an entire generation of individuals who seek to contribute their best to America.”
To read the letter, click here.
