President Trump has previously said he does not support deporting students under the program created by President Obama’s pen
Stanford University’s undergraduate senate voted to “support and increase” resources for illegal immigrant students, commonly referred to as “Dreamers.”
The unanimous resolution calls for the establishment of “a dedicated office or center for undocumented students,” free legal representation for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival students, as well as an “emergency fund.”
The resolution, passed in early January, cited “anti-immigrant rhetoric and increased immigration enforcement since 2016” which have “heightened anxiety among undocumented students, DACA recipients, and students from mixed-status families.”
DACA allows for adults brought here illegally as children to obtain work permits and stay in the country indefinitely.
The resolution also says Trump’s election “underscored ongoing national discourse on immigration and undocumented individuals” and reiterated the “anxiety” illegal immigrants and their families are facing.
Neither Stanford University nor the undergraduate senate responded to inquiries by The College Fix regarding the proposal’s implementation sent in the past month. The Fix reached out to each via email in early January about the demands of the resolution.
The resolution also demands that Stanford University provide “consistent support for food and basic needs” in the form of a monthly stipend.
However, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies said Trump is more concerned with enforcing current immigration laws and not taking action against DACA recipients.
Art Arthur told The Fix via email that the uncertainty highlighted in the resolution has continued due to “posturing on behalf of people who are opposed to immigration enforcement.”
Arthur, a former immigration judge, said DACA recipients have a quasi-legal status in the United States. He noted that under President Barack Obama and a Democratic congress, no amnesty bills were passed. “They could have passed that legislation then if they wanted to, they just opted not to.”
In 2018, President Trump proposed amnesty for 1.8 million recipients in return for strengthened immigration enforcement, but a Democratic congress was unwilling to do so.
Just recently, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the program, originally created by President Obama via a memo. The January 17 ruling struck down President Biden’s attempt to formalize the program; new applicants will not be allowed, but the ruling does not affect current recipients.
Arthur spoke to The Fix prior to the ruling.
He pointed to statements from Border Czar Tom Homan indicating the administration’s priority is to deport violent criminals.
“Mr. Homan has made comments that indicate that the primary focus of any deportation plan is not going to be on immigrant students, it is going to be on aliens who pose a national security risk,” Arthur told The Fix.
Regarding the status quo of the DACA policy, Arthur said “the reason that congress has not acted in the last twelve years is because there is no reason for them to act.”
Arthur then said immigration enforcement will cause the DACA policy to be addressed.
“When you enforce the law and there is a problem with the law, we can actually do something with it. Non-enforcement of a law simply because you do not like it is unacceptable.”
MORE: Stanford law students walk out on speaker discussing legality of DACA repeal
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