FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2022

HACU statement on a decade of DACA

SAN ANTONIO – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has issued the following statement on the 10th anniversary of Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA):

The DREAM Act was first introduced by Senators Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah over two decades ago, but has failed to be enacted. President Obama’s DACA order made it possible for hundreds and thousands young people to come out of the shadows, attend college and contribute to America’s prosperity.

“On the 10th anniversary of Deferred Action for Child Arrivals, there are more than 400,000 undocumented students enrolled in higher education, with approximately half with DACA. They are an essential element to the economy and social fabric of American society who are making significant contributions in and out of the classroom. Yet they are denied the fundamental promise of an affordable education and lack a pathway to citizenship. It is urgent that this federal policy directive expand its scope and provide all the rights, privileges and responsibilities afforded to a permanent resident or U.S. citizen,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.

About HACU
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, D.C, Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain, and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters are in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California.

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