Faculty, students and administration of California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State) attended a presentation held by the Dreamers Summit to learn about resources for students who are considered AB540 or are under the newly rescinded program Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA).
The event, which took place in Bizzini 102 at 3:00 p.m., was set up as in open forum setting, in which students had the freedom to ask about their rights as DACA students. Moreover, faculty and administration who were present were also contributing to the DACA dialogue.
Many faculty members asked the main presenters, Noelia Gonzalez, Chair of Dreamers Committee, Carolina Alfaro, Vice chair of Dreamers Committee, and Yamilet Valladolid, president of the Hispanic Leadership Council, for recommendations about DACA students planning on applying to internships. They noted that various internships require background checks, which might put Dreamers at risk.
“The only time that they work with INS, is if there is a warrant for an arrest, like an ICE arrest or someone that has committed a crime, then they will work with [INS]. But if there isn’t, they’re not working with [INS],” Valladolid explained.
Dr. Ann Strahm, Associate Professor of Sociology, added to that answer saying, “Students should avoid taking internships where they are fingerprinted.”
Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) is a governmental resource where individuals who are seeking American citizenship can obtain help and other useful information.
Another question that was posed, was whether President Junn was ever going to label Stan State as a sanctuary campus, just like cities around the U.S. are considering themselves as sanctuary cities.
According to Gonzalez, she does not see Stan State becoming a sanctuary campus because “I don’t believe that legally we can prevent from ICE coming into this campus.”
Dr. Strahm, however, pointed out that California State University (CSU) Chancellor Timothy White had essentially declared all CSU campuses as sanctuary campuses after sending out a letter last November, which read as follows:
“The CSU will not enter into agreements with state or local law enforcement agencies, Homeland Security or any other federal department for the enforcement of federal immigration law.”
By telling all University Police Departments among the CSUs to not work with law enforcement agencies for immigration purposes, Chancellor white essentially declared all CSUs as sanctuary campuses already, according to Dr. Strahm.
Alfaro and Gonzalez continued with their presentation, recommending professors and students to take care of themselves. Resources, such as Psychological Counseling Services (PCS), the Dreamers Summit, the Health Center and others, were pointed out. They noted that these resources are safe spaces for anyone to go to vent, cry or simply having someone to talk to.
Executive members of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán (MEChA) also made a presentation about their current and future plans for the club to aid the Dreamers community.
“We are trying to host, or cohost, a know-your-rights workshop. You can also ask us for red cards which state your rights when encountering ICE. We are just trying to get involved more with the latest information that we can then pass on for our students and our peers,” Janneth Rodriguez (senior, Ethnic Studies) Female co-chair of MEChA said.
Gonzalez reminded the attendees that there will be a similar forum happening next semester to offer more information about the renewal of DACA, next time though, they will be joined by a legal expert who will be able to answer legal matter questions.
Dr. Strahm shared some of her advice with Dreamers saying, “Fight. You’re worth the fight. You deserve to be here. You are an American and it’s not a piece of paper that defines your Americanness. Your actions, your efforts, the things that you are doing are what define an American, and you’re an American. Anybody who doesn’t believe that can ‘f’ off.”