Public Statements

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

September 5, 2017

Tags Public Statements

To the Hamilton Community,

The Trump administration today announced that it would begin to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, with a six-month window during which Congress may act to continue the program. DACA protects nearly 800,000 "Dreamers" — undocumented young people who entered the country before age 16. The DACA program enabled many promising and talented young people to attend college and begin careers. Despite the assurances they received, their future may now be in doubt.

Notwithstanding the shift in executive branch policy, Hamilton is not changing its admission policy; we will continue to welcome applications from all qualified students, including undocumented students, with the goal of building the strongest possible academic community. We will likewise continue to do all we can to support all of our students once they enroll. As I said in a related message last December, every one of our students enriches our community in unique ways, but all should be able to enjoy equally the full benefits of a Hamilton education.

With the ultimate future of DACA shifting to Congress, I have been in touch with colleagues in the New York Six, and we will jointly approach the New York congressional delegation to urge support for legislation that would codify the principles of DACA. I believe those principles benefit our campuses, our communities, and our country. I am also in touch with colleagues in NESCAC and elsewhere about other ways to pursue this issue.

In the meantime, campus and other resources are available for members of our community with questions about changes in immigration law and policy. View a list of resources on our website.