COFIRED’S LIST OF DACA-RELATED DEMANDS
Immediately release a statement that confirms Dartmouth's commitment to the safety of undocumented students and reiterates the college's support for diversity and inclusion.
Declare, along with Safety and Security, that they will not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in localizing and detaining students. There is reason to believe that Hanover Police officers cannot enter the campus without the permission of the College administration. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are also subject to similar restrictions based on a 2011 Memo regarding places of worship, schools and hospitals (https://www.ice.gov/doclib/ero-outreach/pdf/10029.2-policy.pdf).
Release or create an action plan on what the college will do in case any of its students are persecuted under deportation orders while on campus.
Reduce any undocumented immigrants’ student contributions to 0 and provide those funds through financial aid. The repeal of DACA would bar undocumented students from being able to legally work and would therefore require Dartmouth’s investment to pay for educational costs.
Provide funds for legal resources for undocumented students and their families. It is unjust to believe that a student is able to perform well while they or their families are under threat of deportation. The college should make the application for these funds simple and easily accessible.
Publicize and make available mental health support resources that undocumented students can access.
Condemn the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which is also under threat of being repealed, and would devastate many Salvadoran, Haitian, and Honduran families. Providing legal and mental health resources for these families is crucial.
Provide sensitivity training for staff and faculty on undocumented students’ rights and the availability of resources to ensure these rights.
Prohibit and condemn hateful language, threats, and reporting students to immigration agencies, which should result in disciplinary actions.
Contact bus companies that students use in order to travel to and from Dartmouth, and make their policies on allowing Border Patrol agents on their buses public. The college’s response to any student who may be detained on a bus should also be made public via their action plan.
NEXT STEPS
Since summer of 2017, there have been three separate incidents of Border Patrol agents boarding Greyhound buses, asking passengers for documentation.
The most recent occurrence was in the fall of 2019, prior to the beginning of the academic term, on Sept. 5 — the day international students were set to arrive on campus.
Both the Greyhound and Dartmouth Coach travel on routes that are adjacent to Border Control checkpoints. This jeopardizes the safety of undocumented students and families.
We demand that administration provide safer routes for our students, and our community members, to travel to and from campus.