APSCUF’s September 2017 legislative assembly approved the following statement on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:
WHEREAS, the U.S. Attorney General announced on Sept. 5, 2017, that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that was established by executive order in 2012 to provide certain protections for the children of illegal immigrants would be rescinded in six months; and
WHEREAS, DACA recipients have proven themselves to be excellent students, productive members of society, and many serve in the military; and
WHEREAS, DACA recipients have had to undergo rigorous screening to receive their status; and
WHEREAS, DACA recipients had no choice about coming to the United States and have lived here for most of their lives; and
WHEREAS, citizenship status is not a factor in determining eligibility for admission to any university in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education; and
WHEREAS, our role as faculty and coaches is to educate our students without regard to their immigration status; and
WHEREAS, students cannot perform their best when distracted by the uncertainty of their immigration status;
Therefore, be it RESOLVED that the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties calls upon Congress to quickly provide for legal residency for all DACA recipients.
A copy of this resolution shall be sent to Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation.
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Delegates at the September 2017 assembly also passed a resolution that included the following:
“APSCUF will announce as our organizational position that faculty will not turn over information about Dreamers if those students have identified themselves to us … “