President Haynes continues to support Dreamers at CSUSM

President+K.+Haynes+supports+CSUSM%E2%80%99s+DACA+students.

CSUSM Office of Communications.

President K. Haynes supports CSUSM’s DACA students.

Tyler Abrahams, Assistant News Editor

Cal State San Marcos has joined lobbying efforts to protect Dreamers — those undocumented people brought to this country as children.

University President Karen Haynes joined officials from about 800 other colleges and universities across the nation by co-signing the American Council on Education’s (ACE) letter pressing Congress to create immigration legislation by March 2018.

In the letter ACE writes, “On behalf of the undersigned colleges and universities, we urge you to take the action that President Trump requested when he rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, and pass a long-term legislative fix as soon as possible to protect Dreamers, outstanding young people brought to our country as children.”

If Congress doesn’t pass legislation by March 2018 the U.S. could begin deporting the Dreamers.

With the addition of President Haynes’ signature on Oct. 13, Congress is getting the message that colleges and universities across the nation support legislation that will allow Dreamers to remain in the U.S. and no longer have to live with the fear of deportation.

Assistant Professor of History Dr. Deborah Kang said, “The ideal for Dreamers would be a so-called clean Dream Act… that would focus on offering undocumented youth a pathway to citizenship.  But many congressional conservatives have indicated that they won’t pass such a measure without increased interior enforcement and/or border enforcement measures, such as a wall.”

Gov. Jerry Brown has agreed to a Dream Loan Program designed to give subsided loans to undergraduates. Students with valid CA Dream Act application and a valid AB540 affidavit or “U” Visa on file with CSUSM can apply.

Associated Students Inc. (ASI) is planning to participate in system-wide “Dreamer Week” activities starting Oct. 23. They will be tabling and will write members of Congress to advocate for support.

CSUSM Communications Specialist Eric Breier said, the university is “proud to be a member of ACE… CSUSM is committed to diversity, inclusion and mutual respect, and will relentlessly advocate for DACA recipients.”

Jonathan Riskind the Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs for ACE said that in addition to sending the letter to Congress, the organization also started the Protect Dreamers Higher Education Coalition. The coalition is “dedicated to housing information and resources to help campus leaders, staff, faculty and students advocate to Congress on behalf of Dreamers, young people brought to the United States as children and raised as Americans but living under threat of deportation.”