The University of California and California State University systems expressed support for a pathway to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients and other undocumented students.
DACA offers temporary protection from deportation and permission to work for about 650,000 young people who came to the U.S. as children. It began in 2012, but former President Donald Trump ordered immigration officials to stop accepting new applications in 2017.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration's decision to stop the program was "arbitrary and capricious."
If the proposed order under the Biden administration is finalized and not blocked by another court ruling, it could allow the federal government to begin receiving applications for DACA once again. It’s estimated that could be up to 300,000 new applications.
A spokeswoman for the California State University Office of the Chancellor said,"Dreamers play essential roles within our communities. The university is committed to working in concert with other institutions and our legislative leaders to help shape a permanent solution and pathway to citizenship.”
While UC and CSU support the new regulations, the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office has declined to comment.
Written by Adoubou Traore and produced by Ben Trefny
