Tarleton releases statement about DACA program ending

Rachel Crawford, Associate Editor

On September 5, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was being removed in six months, but permits that expire during this time can still be renewed.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, the DACA program is where “certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal.”

Deferred action is defined as delaying removal action against an individual for a certain period of time on the USCIS website.

Through this program, 787,580 people have been approved for the program since it began in 2012 according to the USCIS, but there is no way to tell how many Tarleton State University students may be affected if the program ends in six months.

“As a public institution, we abide by all federal and state laws. Because we do not track information regarding the immigration status of our students, we cannot say if any or how many might be affected by changes to the DACA program,” Cecilia Jacobs, Director of News and Information, said.

“We will continue to foster a safe, welcoming learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds seeking to expand their opportunities through education.”

As more information becomes available, this story will be updated.