Keep the DREAM Alive
On Tuesday, President Trump announced his plan to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Since it was implemented, the DACA program has ensured that nearly 800,000 children of immigrants—many of whom have no recollection of any country other than the U.S.—can safely attend school, earn degrees, and become contributing members of the country in which they were raised.
As educators and allies, we have dedicated our careers to creating safe, respectful, and welcoming spaces where children and youth are valued for who they are and supported to learn, grow, and bring their talents into the society. The repeal of DACA and the deportation of the children and young adults it protects is cruel and counterproductive: It flies in the face of a country that is a nation of immigrants and where these "Dreamers" are working towards a better life each and every day.
And now Dreamers are being told to prepare for deportation, their futures frozen in an agonizing six-month stasis, facing the fear of leaving their home, their family and friends, and futures they have invested deeply in. Many are still school children, now living with the daily nightmare of being torn from their families and sent to a land they don't know.
As educators and education advocates, we have an ever-increasing responsibility to protect our students, to be even more explicit in our belief in their potential, and to protect their right to learn and to become contributing members of society, just as generations of immigrants before them have done.
When our nation fails our children, our pathway is clear: We must double down on our collective work for equity, justice, and high-quality education and make sure that every student feels safe and empowered to learn, thrive, and realize their dreams.
We urge Congress to act quickly to integrate the protections of DACA into law. Meanwhile, we hope the resources below will be helpful to educators and families who are seeking to support and protect our children.
Educator Resources
Congress.gov
Southern Poverty Law Center's Teach for Tolerance Program
National Education Association
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Resources
- 5 questions educators are asking about ICE raids and supporting immigrant youth
American Federation of Teachers
- Protecting our Students
- September 12 DACA Town Hall co-hosted by AFT, National Immigration Law Center, United We Dream, Teach For America, Education Trust, Stand For Children and E4E. Register here.
California School Board Association
- Students Impacted by Immigration Status
- Legal Guidance Providing All Children Equal Access to Education, Regardless of Immigration Status
United We Dream
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
National Immigration Law Center