Northwestern releases statement about DACA decision

Northwestern College President Greg Christy released this statement about the decision to rescind DACA in an email to faculty, staff and students on Tuesday night, Sept. 5:

The Trump administration announced today that it is rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program. The DACA program gave young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children a work permit and protection from deportation. This decision affects around 800,000 individuals who have registered through the program.

Scripture says, “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Lev 19:33-34). As a Christian college rooted in Scripture and committed to courageous and faithful participation in God’s work, we stand with the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC), National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), World Relief, the Evangelical Immigration Table, and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU)—all organizations that have advocated for the continuation of DACA.

Our Vision for Diversity calls us to build and sustain social structures that foster the common good. For that reason and others, some months ago, I added my name to letters from the Evangelical Immigration Table and the CCCU urging the Trump administration to continue DACA. I will continue to lobby lawmakers to do the right thing on behalf of these brothers and sisters among us. No matter where you personally may stand on immigration policies more broadly, I hope you will join me in expressing our concern, support and love for those affected by this decision.