Status of DACA

To: Campus Community
From: President Gayle E. Hutchinson

You may be hearing about the possibility of the White House announcing a decision regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While no official action has taken place as of this morning, I want to reach out to our students and others who are concerned about what the future holds.

Established in 2012, DACA is a federal program meant for undocumented immigrants younger than 30 who were brought to the United States as children. Under the program, if they pass background checks, recipients are temporarily allowed to live, work, and seek education in the country, though they do not receive citizenship or legal status.

Nationwide, the program has roughly 800,000 recipients, commonly referred to as “Dreamers.” Its goal is to allow young people—many of whom have lived the majority of their lives in the US—to contribute to their communities and pursue their education without living in fear of deportation.

As I said in February of this year, Chico State continues to be fully committed to fulfilling our educational and public mission as an inclusive learning and working environment for all.

While we await possible changes to the program, the CSU Office of the Chancellor issued a useful set of Frequently Asked Questions yesterday afternoon that I encourage you to read carefully so we can collectively best serve our undocumented students.

Please remember to take care of each other by lending a supportive ear to those who may be feeling the stress that uncertainty may cause. Together, we will find a path forward.