On Sept. 5, the Trump administration announced to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
During the Obama administration in June of 2012, Obama formed the DACA program. Which is a program that allows certain undocumented immigrants who entered the country under the age of 16 to receive renewable two-year period of deferred action of deportation.
That morning before the official announcement, Grand Rapids Community College president, Bill Pink, sent an email to all faculty and staff, emphasizing the institution’s continous support of DACA students and the program they benefit from.
You can see part of what he said at The Collegiate Live.
Later that day, Attorney General John Sessions, held a press briefing announcing that the DACA program will be rescinded, and is giving Congress six months to take action.
Check out the briefing here.
In response to the Trump administration’s decision to rescind DACA, Pink reiterated GRCC’s support for all of its students.
“My response to the decision remains the same from the statement I sent out to all my staff,” Pink said. “We support our students, and from the standpoint that the [Trump] administration came up with, my encouragement for our students remains the same.”
Yesterday, GRCC Board of Trustees released a statement, also voicing full support for DACA students.
“Our mission is nothing if we do not voice our support and concern for GRCC DACA students,” Chairman David Koetje said in the statement yesterday. “Therefore, we, the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees, along with President Pink, urge our congressional leaders to find an immediate legislative solution – such as the DREAM Act – to prevent the lives of so many Americans from being so unnecessarily and harmfully impacted.”
Full statement can be found on GRCC’s home page.
Despite Trump’s latest action, Pink said nothing has changed at GRCC and that the college will remain a safe place for all students to come to school and take advantage of a first class education.
“We will continue to do our job, from an education standpoint,” Pink said. “We will continue to give all students, including our DACA students an opportunity to receive a quality education.”
[…] After the Trump Administration announced plans to discontinue the program, GRCC President Bill Pink, the GRCC Board of Trustees and most recently, the GRCC Faculty Council have expressed support for the students. These statements can be found here. […]