Kagenmi – Fotolia

California colleges join in support of controversial program

California’s higher education system is the largest
in the world and on Tuesday, Nov. 29, the heads of
all three systems came together in a letter to president-
elect Donald Trump urging him to continue the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program on
behalf of DACA students.
This includes Janet Napolitano, former Secretary
of Homeland Security and current president for the
University of California’s higher education system,
the chancellor for California State Universities and
the chancellor for California Community Colleges.
What is DACA?
On June 15, 2012, Napolitano issued an announced that
individuals who came or were brought into the U.S.
as children may request consideration for a deference
(deferred deportation) if they met certain eligibility
requirements.
Although it did not grant them lawful status it did
allow them to obtain work permits and continue to
pursue their education without the daily threat of deportation.
Since then, hundreds of thousands have come forward
to register themselves in the program.
During the presidential campaign, Trump, promised to end the DACA program
and deport all who were in the United States unlawfully.
After the election, these individuals are once again
in danger of expulsion from the only country they
have ever known, some have never spoken any other
language other than English; many attend San Jose
City College and are active participants to the betterment
of the institution.