On Wednesday, President Bardo issued a statement in support of students who, as part of the DACA program, can study at American universities despite their immigration status. He also informed about adding his signature to a petition originated out of Pomona College in support of these students. The petition requests the extension of DACA and the opportunity to present a case for the program. This petition is already gaining steam with over 600 signees, including WSU, Harvard, the University of California system, and many others.

The first question in readers’ minds might be, what is DACA? Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is an American policy started by the Obama administration in June 2012. It boils down to allowing certain undocumented immigrants – by special approval – to receive temporary work permits and deferral of deportation actions. It does not assure a path to legalization or citizenship. Per USCIS data, about 88 percent of those eligible who applied to DACA were approved.

The goal of this program was to offer an aid to those who were brought to this country as children; those who were brought up in this country’s culture and educated in its schools. The requirements to apply for this program include having arrived into this country before the age of 16; be in school, apply to a school or be a member – active or discharged – of the military, and, neither have been convicted of felonies or be a threat to national security.

The program itself was and continues to be debated across the aisle. Republicans oppose it, while Democrats point to data from USCIS to show the success of the program. In either case, this truly boils down to the human factor. Many of those who received the deferral were children who did not consciously break any law, and, furthermore, have lived most of their lives in this country and consider it their home. Which is why Dr. Bardo’s statement does much to quell students’ uncertainty.

In his statement, Dr. Bardo recounts part of his own family’s immigrant tale and assures the students who visited his office of his compromise to their cause. He also mentions the fear that surrounds many other communities: the LGBTQ community’s fear of the government rolling back on the civil rights gained in the last few years; foreign-born students who also fear constantly changing policy. An important first step in offering some semblance of certainty was the ruling by the 9th Circuit Federal Court stopping the ill-advised travel ban enacted through executive order. The news covered by outlets such as CNN may assure our foreign student community that their civil rights are being protected.