Supreme Court Ruling on DACA

To the Lafayette Community:

Today the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the current administration cannot terminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that provides work permits and protection from deportation for more than 650,000 DACA recipients. This outcome has been anxiously awaited by many, including DACA recipients on our own campus, so this was welcome and exciting news for our community.

Lafayette as an institution has offered strong and continuing support for the DACA program. Through our public statements and through our membership in the Presidents’ Immigration Alliance, we have taken action to support Dreamers. In December 2019, we joined 165 other institutions in signing an amicus brief in this case in support of DACA recipients. We are proud to have been part of the successful effort to block elimination of this critical program. We greatly value the contributions of DACA and undocumented students at Lafayette and in our nation as a whole.

This outcome on DACA follows the significant Supreme Court decision earlier this week extending employment protection to gay, lesbian, and transgender employees. At a time when our community and nation are reeling from stark examples of inequality seen in the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19, and the instances of racial violence that have inspired nationwide protests, it is heartening to also see evidence of continued progress in the fight for equality and inclusion on many fronts. Lafayette will strive as an institution and as a community to play an active role in that struggle.

President Alison Byerly