{"id":2346,"date":"2017-09-13T23:28:55","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T23:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pft1603.org\/?p=2346"},"modified":"2017-09-13T23:29:23","modified_gmt":"2017-09-13T23:29:23","slug":"pft-statement-on-daca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pft1603.org\/?p=2346","title":{"rendered":"PFT Statement on DACA Repeal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Peralta Faculty,<\/p>\n

The Peralta Federation of Teachers strongly denounces the recent decision by the Trump administration to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which could lead to as many as 800,000 young people being deported, including many students and educators. DACA is a successful federal program instituted 5 years ago by the Obama administration that shields young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States at a young age and attended high school in the United States from deportation. DACA has been a pathway to education and employment for 800,000 people in the U.S, and more than 240,000 in California. We applaud the State of California and the University of California for filing lawsuits against the Trump Administration for rescinding DACA and hope that PCCD will join them.<\/p>\n

As community college faculty members, we are on the front lines of higher education. This means that we understand as well as anyone the danger our students now face; and as the instructors who make up the PFT, we are committed to ensuring that they do not face it alone.<\/p>\n

What can we do?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Faculty can communicate with their students that people with DACA permits that expire on or before\u00a0March 5, 2018<\/span>, can file for renewals until\u00a0October 5, 2017<\/span>. No new renewals will be accepted after this date so when discussing this with your students, urge them to act now. (USCIS) will not accept renewals for applicants whose DACA expires after\u00a0March 5, 2018<\/span>\u00a0and after\u00a0March 5, 2018<\/span>\u00a0they will lose the ability to legally work in the United States when their permits expire.<\/p>\n

Together, we can keep working toward educational opportunities for all students. We have seen moments like these in our history. Whether it is the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, the Chinese Exclusion Act, or the Immigration Act of 1924– all of which took cruel, unnecessary, and ultimately violent stands against marginalized communities and families, they were also moments that produced massive resistance– this is our moment to do the same.<\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t contacted your representative to pass the federal DREAM Act, please do so immediately using the\u00a0AFTs e-action center<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Please inform your students of the resources available on their respective campuses that will guide them through these sometimes complicated processes, and of the resources available in their own communities that may be of further assistance.<\/p>\n

Educator Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Congress<\/strong><\/p>\n