In a statement released Friday, NACAC urged Congress and the White House “to find common ground and move forward with policies that support DREAMers and promote student mobility across borders.”
Talks are expected to continue this week as policymakers from both sides of the aisle unpack the president’s immigration plan and craft their own proposals.
President Trump’s plan would provide a path to legal status for undocumented students — a move supported by NACAC. But the association noted that other provisions in the president’s immigration proposal “could jeopardize what is truly needed—a permanent solution for DREAM-eligible students.”
“Comprehensive immigration reform, a topic on which there has been some bipartisan agreement, will require significant time and consideration by Congress. Helping DREAMers, on the other hand, requires immediate attention,” NACAC’s statement reads.
The association went on to state that “imbedding contentious immigration provisions into a proposal to assist DREAMers will further encourage rhetoric that has already begun to make the United States a less desirable destination, particularly for international students.”
Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.