The end of DACA has led to a national discussion, with the overbearing question of what happens now?
Sure, Congress has six months to come up with a new and comprehensive immigration reform plan, but DREAMers have only a few weeks to come up with a plan to renew their DACA status, and thus their American citizenship.
These DREAMers aren’t as far away as we might think. In fact, SXU has several DREAMer students on campus.
While the school did issue a statement saying “DACA students, like all of our students, are important and valued members of our campus community,” perhaps there is something else the school can do for its DREAMers.
Dr. Amanda Lopez of the History Department explains that currently, with the help of students and administration, many are trying to find specific ways to help DACA students on campus.
“When the announcement was made that Tuesday, there was no plan. Now, we are trying to develop a more specific plan that can directly help our DREAMers on campus.”
Some of the students Dr. Lopez is working with come from SXU’s emerging registered student organization RJEA, short for Race and Justice through Education and Action.
The group, led by Philosophy professor Dr. Forrest Perry, is in the process of selling “SXU Stands with DREAMers” T-shirts.
100% of the proceeds from this fundraiser will be handed over to Financial Aid to disperse to SXU DREAMers.
The goal of the fundraiser is to help SXU DACA recipients pay for their DACA renewal, a fee that is almost $500.
“We are also working on connecting our SXU DREAMers to organizations who are willing to pay for the renewal,” says RJEA Treasurer Genesis Garcia Fisher.
“If we can do that for all of them, our hope is create a scholarship available to our DREAMers because SXU does not currently have one in place.”
What if, instead of one non-registered RSO attempting to forge the heavy task of a university-wide scholarship, the University as a whole can found a way to build a scholarship fund for their DACA students?
If the school were to reach out to donors, or sponsors, then perhaps funds would be made available for these “important and valued” community members.
Or even if the school could finesse a way to cut costs from certain highly invested areas, such as sports teams and athletes, who receive free room and board on campus, then there would be funds available to start this scholarship.
In an effort to receive more donations, the group recently reached out to the Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Tony Campbell.
So far, there has been no response, but the group continues pushing forward with their goals.
But even if the school finds itself unable to financially support their DACA students, the one step they most definitely can take is declaring themselves a “sanctuary campus.”
Sanctuary campuses insist on having protections put in place in order to create a safe environment for the entire student body, regardless of a student’s immigration status, in order to reaffirm the constitutional right of access to education.
As of right now, the university has shown that it values all its students, DREAMers and non-DREAMers alike, but it is time for the school to take more affirmative steps to continue showing their support for these students.
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