The university joins more than 160 higher education institutions opposing the Trump Administration’s revocation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program
Tufts University has joined more than 160 colleges and universities in an amicus brief opposing President Donald Trump’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, reaffirming its commitment to students enrolled in the program.
“Tufts stands firmly with our DACA and undocumented students, their families, and their communities, and we are committed to honoring our promises to our DACA and undocumented students,” said President Anthony P. Monaco. “We will continue to provide our DACA and undocumented students an education that they have rightfully earned and deserve.”
This “friend of the court” brief, organized by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, comes ahead of oral arguments on the rescission, which will be held at the U.S. Supreme Court on November 12.
Since former President Barack Obama authorized DACA by executive order in 2012, more than 800,000 young people who arrived in the U.S. as children have received permission to work, drive, open bank accounts, buy homes, and attend college in the U.S. without fear of deportation.
On September 5, 2017, the Trump administration ordered an end to DACA, triggering an extended legal battle in which multiple states, including Massachusetts, filed lawsuits challenging the administration’s actions to terminate the program. While those already enrolled in the program have been able to apply for renewal, new recipients and the future of DACA—and with it, the futures of hundreds of thousands of DACA-eligible individuals—ultimately will be decided in the coming months.
“Our DACA and undocumented students are part of the fabric of our community and our country. They have overcome enormous challenges to study at Tufts, and their immeasurable achievements and contributions to the only home most have ever known would not be possible without DACA,” Monaco said. “We will continue to honor our commitment to providing our DACA and undocumented students an education that they have rightfully earned and deserve.”
Since April 2015, Tufts has supported higher education equity by considering all undocumented students as domestic applicants for undergraduate admissions. The university’s policy is in keeping with Tufts' long-held values of inclusion and access that date to its founding.
Following the Trump administration’s move to terminate the DACA program, the university joined forces with other institutions of higher ed to challenge the decision in court. At the same time, the university recommitted to providing DACA students with support, including financial aid, legal services, counseling, and academic advising.
Johnny Corson can be reached at johnny.corson@tufts.edu.
