ASU has a DACA community of several hundred students, and though they are not a large part of the University's population, they are part of the Sun Devil community regardless.
With the rescission of the DACA program in September 2017, the Trump administration left DACA recipients unsure of their futures. Shortly after this announcement, Michael Crow sent out a letter to the University detailing how he and ASU were going to assist DACA students.
Since then, ASU has made quite the effort to support DACA students. However, with ASU being in a border state, it should unapologetically take a stand against ignorance within its own student body and be vocal, rather than docile, in defending its DACA students, especially with DACA's status on the line.
A more publicly vocal campus would mean more events, statements and marketing for the initiatives available.
There is no controversy in showing support for students that have no control over their own circumstances.
Crow has shown support and been proactive, despite restrictions of state laws. This includes creating ASU partnerships with private organizations, providing financial aid and working with legal counselors.
According to statement from ASU media relations officer, Herminia Rincon, "ASU does not have specific initiatives to address DACA students, but the university does have programs and resources in place to assist students."
Rincon wrote that ASU provides support for DACA students through the DREAMzone and the DREAM Fund.
According to a CBS news poll, 70 percent of Americans favor Dreamers staying in the country. This showcases that the majority of the country understands that the difficulties Dreamers are facing is no fault of their own.
Lisa Magana, an associate director and professor at the ASU School of Transborder Studies that has experience working specifically with DACA students, said that the Provost and Michael Crow have been “excellent advocates for these students.”
Since Trump has invoked a strong anti-immigration sentiment, the political climate surrounding it has been more tense than ever.
“There might have been policies that we may not know about because of the sensitivity when it comes to this issue,” Magana said.
It is understandable that DACA has been politicized within the media, and therefore publicizing ASU’s efforts may lead to issues especially with students who believe DACA is unconstitutional.
Regardless, DACA is a moral issue, more so than a legal one.
As DACA has gone back and forth, with judges ruling against the Trump administration's decision and with it going into legal limbo, ASU should be more open about their support to these students.
Reach the reporter at ajmistry@asu.edu or follow @jay_mistry52 on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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