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WVU experts: diversity important, life in U.S. now precarious for ‘Dreamers’ as President Trump ends DACA

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Even as diversity on college campuses becomes more important, life for immigrants who came to the U.S. as children with their undocumented parents became more precarious Tuesday as President Donald Trump announced that he would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, according to West Virginia University experts.

Alison Peck
Professor of Law
Director of the Immigration Law Clinic
Director of International Programs

“The President’s announcement today that he will roll back the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program opens up a tremendous amount of legal uncertainty for people who were brought to the U.S. by their parents when they were children. It affects not only these individuals themselves, known as the “Dreamers,” but also their U.S. citizen family members, employers, and communities. It has never been more important to train knowledgeable and capable lawyers to help clients to navigate this new process. Training the next generation of immigration lawyers is our goal at the College of Law’s Immigration Law Clinic. “


Allison Peck audio file

“President Trump has expressed compassion for Dreamers, and in his Tweet this morning he urged Congress to remedy this situation by amending the immigration laws to avoid punishing people for the actions of their parents. Members of Congress have said that a majority of them support such legislation, so this may turn out to be a path to the permanent solution that the Dreamers and their families have long hoped for. The Immigration Law Clinic will be in a position to follow these developments over six-month phase out and advise clients about how changes may affect them.” 

Contact information: Alison.peck@mail.wvu.edu; 304.293.6891

   

William Brustein
Vice President for Global Strategies and International Affairs

“West Virginia University is committed to all of its students, and helping to offer them the services and support they need. The Office of Global Affairs can assist students by connecting them to the appropriate resources and support in their time of need.”

Brustein is available to speak regarding the importance of international students to the college campus community, including the importance of cultural exposure for domestic students, as well as bringing unique perspectives into the classroom learning environment.

Contact information: William.brustein@mail.wvu.edu; 304.293.9298

 

West Virginia University experts can provide commentary, insights and opinions on various news topics. Search for an expert by name, title, area of expertise, or college/school/department in the  Experts Database   at   WVU Today .

-WVU-

pp/09/05/17