President Eisgruber urges congressional leaders to act quickly to protect DACA students

By the Office of Communications on Sept. 5, 2017, 1:17 p.m.

Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber sent a letter to congressional leaders Tuesday urging them to place the highest priority on legislation that would provide immediate and long-term protection for young people enrolled in or eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA.

Shortly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration would phase out the DACA program, Eisgruber sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

"It is within the power of Congress to give these young people the protections and peace of mind that DACA provided, and going beyond that, a path to permanent residence and citizenship," Eisgruber wrote. "I strongly believe that such action would be in the national interest, in addition to being very much the right thing to do. I hope Congress will take this action, and will take it quickly."

The DACA program permits undocumented students to continue their studies in the United States without fear of deportation. Last fall, Eisgruber issued a statement of support for DACA to the University community and joined a group of what is now more than 600 college and university presidents who have signed on to a statement supporting the program. Last week, Eisgruber wrote to President Trump, urging him not to repeal DACA.

 

 

 

 

 

Related Stories

Princeton, a student and Microsoft file federal lawsuit to preserve DACA .

Princeton University, one of its students and Microsoft have mounted a legal challenge to the federal government’s termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as announced on September 5, 2017.

President Eisgruber sends letter to White House urging continuation of DACA program .

Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber sent a letter to the White House on Wednesday urging U.S. President Donald Trump to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in its current form and to defend the policy from any potential court challenges.

Princeton and Microsoft continue their support of DACA program with new federal filing .

Princeton and Microsoft’s Nov. 29 comment follows their recent successful Supreme Court suit to preserve the DACA program, which provides legal protections for undocumented individuals who arrived in the United States as children.

Princeton, Microsoft presidents urge quick Congressional action to protect 'Dreamers' .

The presidents of Princeton University and Microsoft Corp. on Thursday urged members of Congress to act quickly to provide long-term protection, including a path to citizenship, for "Dreamers."

Eisgruber and other higher education leaders urge repeal or amendment of endowment tax .

Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber joined 48 other college and university presidents in signing a letter urging leaders in Congress to repeal or amend a tax on endowment earnings included in a tax bill that President Trump signed into law.  The college and university presidents highlighted how the tax threatens the ability of Princeton and other institutions to use their endowments to support increased affordable access to their institutions while maintaining their commitments to world-class teaching and research.

In Princeton-Microsoft case, court rules government acted unlawfully in rescinding DACA program .

Ruling in a lawsuit brought by Princeton University, one of its undergraduate students and Microsoft, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled Tuesday that the federal government's decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was unlawful.

U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on Princeton, Microsoft challenge to DACA termination .

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday on cases challenging the federal government’s termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, including a complaint filed by Princeton University, Microsoft and Princeton graduate María Perales Sánchez.