Recast | In Support of Our DACA and Undocumented Community
From: “Saliba, Therese” <SalibaT@evergreen.edu>
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at 2:07 PM
Dear Colleagues,
I join with many in our community who were deeply disappointed by the Federal Court’s decision last Friday to require the U.S. Government to suspend all new applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, better known as DACA.
This ruling does not affect current DACA recipients, but its declaration that the DACA program is “unlawful” has concerning implications for children and young adult immigrants, and for the lack of movement towards legislation giving Dreamers a pathway to citizenship.
DACA was created by President Obama in 2012 to allow hundreds of thousands of young immigrants to remain in the U.S. to live, learn and work in the communities that they know as home. In June 2020, The Supreme Court upheld DACA. That decision was a victory for the decades-long immigrant rights movement in which many Evergreen community members have engaged. The ruling, however, left open the possibility that DACA could still be rescinded in the future.
Friday’s decision from a Texas Federal Court exposes efforts to limit and revoke this legislation. We are pleased that President Biden has promised to appeal the decision, fortify DACA, and end the limbo Dreamers have been in for the past nine years. DACA recipients and their families have built their lives here and contribute in numerous ways to our campus, our communities, and the country.
At Evergreen, I’d like to recognize the dedicated work of our staff, faculty, and students who provide ongoing support and resources to our DACAmented and undocumented students. These include the Latinx Standing Committee (LSC), the Undocumented Student Task Force (USTF), and First Peoples Multicultural Trans & Queer Support Services. Last year, the LSC and USTF issued a statement of solidarity with BIPOC and Undocumented communities, with and without DACA. They wrote, “It is part of our values to defend against the systematic dehumanization of members of our college and broader community. It is our dream and hope to build together a community that is more inclusive, just, and compassionate.”
The LSC and USTF have offered the below resources for undocumented and DACAmented community members and ways that staff, faculty, and administration can offer support. Additionally, IESS is currently working with First Peoples and the USTF to hire an Undocumented/Underserved Student Support Specialist. We are hoping to post that position in the next week.
Please take a few minutes to read and share the resources below. We still have much work to do at Evergreen to deepen our education and understanding of how best to serve our undocumented students, Latinx students, and others who experience bias and discrimination.
In Community and Solidarity,
Therese
Therese Saliba, Ph.D. (she/her)
Interim VP of Inclusive Excellence & Student Success
To Undocumented/DACAmented Evergreen students, staff, alumni, and their families:
You are not alone at Evergreen. Faculty, staff and students work together in partnerships such as the USTF and the LSC to prioritize the well-being and success of our undocumented and DACA population. Immediate resources include:
STAFF AND FACULTY SUPPORT: We have staff and allies you can count on here at Evergreen to hear you out and connect you or your family with resources. Some people you can connect with immediately, in English or Spanish:
o • Luis Apolaya Torres (luis.apolaya_torres@evergreen.edu)
o • María Isabel Morales (moralema@evergreen.edu)
o • Catalina Ocampo Londoño (ocampoc@evergreen.edu)
· LEGAL AID:
o • Steffani Powell, local private attorney, can answer questions by email and provide group consultations free of charge on behalf of organizations. All other services are provided at a charge. Email: steffanipowell@hotmail.com
o • Immigration Intake Screening from Immigrants Rising, free of charge. Tells you what forms of immigration relief you qualify for.
o • NW Immigrants Rights Project located Tacoma and Seattle, serves surrounding area.
· MONETARY ASSISTANCE:
o • Contact Trina Griffis (griffist@evergreen.edu) for information about receiving Emergency Grant funds, even if you are not enrolled in summer session.
o • Tangible support for immigrant communities during COVID-19.
o • United Faculty of Evergreen (UFE) Solidarity/Scholarship Fund, contact Grace Huerta (huertag@evergreen.edu).
· RESOURCES: Here is a list of resources, in English and Spanish, with options for low-cost and free healthcare, financial aid and scholarships, and legal aid. To access, you will need to sign in with your Evergreen login information.
In solidarity,
The Latinx Standing Committee & The Undocumented Student Task Force
Luis Apolaya Torres (luis.apolaya_torres@evergreen.edu)
Leslie Flemmer (flemmerl@evergreen.edu)
Grace Huerta (huertag@evergreen.edu)
Trina Griffis (griffist@evergreen.edu)
Jacob Longaker (Jacob.Longaker@evergreen.edu)
María Isabel Morales (moralema@evergreen.edu)
Alice Nelson (nelsona@evergreen.edu)
Catalina Ocampo Londoño (ocampoc@evergreen.edu)
Ellen Shortt-Sánchez (shorttse@evergreen.edu)
Tom Womeldorff (womeldor@evergreen.edu)
