BUFFALO, NY - The fears about the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals of DACA Program were realized Tuesday, September 5 with the announcement by the President that he has ordered an end to the program with the phase-out to begin on March 5, 2018. This announcement simply adds to the level of anxiety that foreign born residents of the United States have felt over the past ten months. I want to take this opportunity to join with so many in the higher education community in expressing my deep dismay at this action.
Like many other university presidents in our nation and in concert with our Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, I am taking steps to urge Congress to come up with a fair and sustainable legislative solution to the issue of young people who were brought to this country by parents or relatives and have otherwise lived model lives. A legislative solution would have more permanence than the executive order which created the DACA Program.
Our Congressional representatives need to know that passage of the DREAM Act and assuring these young people a degree of permanence and security in their lives is an urgent priority for our country. Students from foreign nations enrich our universities and communities in unparalleled ways and I urge you to join me and look for opportunities to participate in the advocacy on this issue in the weeks ahead.
I will repeat what I have said previously about undocumented students at Canisius: You are welcome here. I continue to urge all employees of Canisius University to reach out to any undocumented students in our midst and assist them. If we discover systems, processes or requirements that conflict with our obligations to these students, please bring this to my attention or the attention of the appropriate vice president for remedial action.
John J. Hurley
President, Canisius University
