NACUA Webinar Dec. 8 Will Discuss DACA, Other Post-Election Topics
Amid
uncertainty about the future of the nation’s immigration laws under the
Trump administration, colleges and universities around the country are
thinking about what might be in store for their undocumented students.
Primary among these questions is the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program
established in 2012 under President Obama, which permits approved young
undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to
stay for two years at a time without fear of deportation.
Many of college and university presidents have written letters and spoken to the media (click here, here and here
for just a few examples) about the value of the DACA program, and some
have been in conversation about “sanctuary campus” petitions. A new issue brief
(157 KB PDF) from ACE can help frame the discussion about these questions. It
addresses concerns such as the data DACA applicants submitted in their
applications; sanctuary campuses; institutional pledges of
non-cooperation; and complying with requests by federal officials for
records identifying undocumented students or other community members,
among others.
While DACA is rather straightforward, the broader issues are complex
and nuanced. Context matters, as do state and local laws and
institutional (and campus police) relationships with state and local
policy makers and authorities. Whether an institution is public or
private may matter, as well as whether students are primarily residents
or commuters. These, and other potentially relevant things, may require a
careful assessment of a particular issue or question in the moment, in a
rapidly changing environment. This is not a simple matter—there are
many ambiguities involved—and institutions may need to consult legal
counsel.
NACUA to Hold Post-Election Webinar Dec. 8
To learn more about DACA/sanctuary and other post-election issues
that impact the higher education community, the National Association of
College and University Attorneys NACUA will sponsor a webinar
on Dec. 8 from 12-2:00 p.m. EST, co-sponsored by ACE. Among the other
topics that will be addressed are the process and timeline for political
appointments and policy implementation; campus climate and unrest
issues; and addressing sex-based discrimination and sexual misconduct.