The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/tag/daca/page/2/)
“They were brought to this country before they had a choice in the matter, have grown up here, and are succeeding here despite significant challenges and obstacles,” Pollack wrote. “I believe they deserve a chance to fulfill their dreams, and this action has the potential to extinguish those dreams.”
“On behalf of Cornell University, I write to share my deepest concern with news reports indicating that you intend to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program,” Pollack wrote to Trump.
His contributions and connections, all the constitutive elements of personhood in society, meant nothing when he was taken by an unmarked van. That his city wanted him here was unimportant — Ithaca’s sanctuary status meant very little as well.
“If federal policy with respect to the DACA program changes, Cornell will examine how we can develop, administer and use a DACA-like set of criteria to enable undocumented students … to qualify for domestic financial aid and admissions policies.”
Aimed to address the community’s concerns for students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status, particularly following President Donald Trump’s election, the University held a panel discussion to elaborate its policy.
Cornell Coalition for Inclusive Democracy organized a protest around the Arts Quad on Thursday, demanding that the university take concrete measures to safeguard DACA-affiliated students.
The Cornell Employee Assembly unanimously voted to pass a resolution to declare its support for undocumented students under the Deferred Action of Children Arrivals program.
The assembly decided that it would adopt no formal language with regard to the timeliness of passing resolutions, as members agreed that “different situations required different responses,” and such an amendment would be too “bureaucratic.”
In his most recent email, Rawlings reaffirmed that once admitted, these students will be eligible for need-based financial aid for the duration of their time at Cornell.
“We write about xenophobia and bigotry, but will not pretend they only exist elsewhere,” the department wrote. “We research racism, homophobia and misogyny, but will not permit them to pass unchallenged.”