NEBHE on Sept. 15 issued the following statement …
The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) urges Congress to follow the president’s direction to legislate permanent protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
DACA allowed “Dreamers” to “come out of the shadows,” enroll in postsecondary opportunities and legally secure jobs. “Dreamers” are required to follow specific rules to support and renew DACA status.
New England is home to nearly 15,000 DACA participants, who arrived in the U.S. as young children. As a matter of social justice and good economic sense, we must prevent destructive deportation.
The U.S. would lose about $460 billion in GDP over the next 10 years without the valuable contributions of DACA program members, according to current data. Constrained by stagnant population and enrollment growth, New England especially benefits from “Dreamers.”
New England has a legacy of visionary leaders and lawmakers who have led the nation in championing independence, opportunity, and human dignity. We uphold these values by supporting the permanent protections for DACA participants who are pursuing education and work to better their lives and contribute to our society.
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