Days after President Trump announced to intact the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for six more months to allow Congress to find a legislative solution, hundreds of people marched on campus in support of the program, which protects immigrants from deportation and allows them to work in the U.S. legally, Sept. 8.
The silent march, which was organized by League of Latin American Citizen’s UVU chapter, began in the Fulton Library and traveled throughout the campus. Speakers ranged from community activists to DACA recipients.
LULAC president Bea Ferreira said, “We’re trying to engage our community in taking action to urge congress to support DACA.”
Darah Snow, director of Multicultural Student Services said finding private donors or sponsors to donate scholarships is important, because DACA recipients do not qualify for in-state-tuition or tuition waivers.
“They are not entitled to general scholarships to UVU, or any of the waivers, so we are trying to find an effort to at least provide [private] scholarships for them,” said Snow.
UVU’s president Matthew Holland signed a letter, Sept. 6, along with other Utah university presidents, to urge Congress to protect DACA recipients. The letter states, “We urge you to support a legislative solution as soon as possible to enable all students who have grown up in the United States to continue contributing to their communities and classrooms in ways made possible by higher education.”
Kyle Reyes, special assistant to Holland for inclusion and diversity, participated in the march and said, “We very much support the things that are happening today, which as I know it, is the only thing like this happening in any Utah college campus.”
According to Multicultural Student Services, over 200 DACA recipients attend UVU.
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