A federal appeals court ruling last week has brought the legality of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA — a national program that provides some undocumented immigrants work permits and temporarily protects them from deportation — back into question and back on the news.

While the court decision challenges the legality of the program, it keeps it in place — at least for now. A statement from President Biden last week highlights his administration’s efforts to get the DACA program codified and continue to protect Dreamers, as the children of immigrants are often called. 

At PSU, we remain committed to supporting our DACA students, providing the resources and support they need to focus on their success, not their status. 

PSU students who are concerned about the DACA ruling’s effect on their own status are able to speak with an attorney, for free, through Student Legal Services. Interested students can request an appointment by filling out an intake form here: https://www.pdx.edu/student-legal-services/appointments 

University and state financial aid is available for undocumented students, including the PDX DREAMers Scholarship which offers $6,600 annually to select students, and the Oregon Student Aid Application, an alternative to FAFSA.

In addition, PSU has committed funds to the establishment of a Dreamer Resource Center with construction and hiring beginning later this year. In the meantime, students looking to connect with someone about DACA-related issues should reach out to Emanuel Magaña, Coordinator/Advisor with Multicultural Retention Services, or Perla Pinedo, who leads Multicultural Student Services for Portland State. 
A round up of additional resources are available online: https://www.pdx.edu/dreamers/dreamer-resources