Laura Vivaldo Cholula, DREAM Action NIU co-president, took full advantage of the Deferred Action for Childhood arrivals program after coming to the U.S. when she was three months old, as her status as an undocumented immigrant impacted her from the beginning of her education.
As Vivaldo Cholula shared her story during a Thursday Board of Trustees meeting, many listeners were moved to tears. It was during that same meeting the Board extended solidarity in support of the program.
Wheeler Coleman, Board of Trustees chairperson, proposed a resolution in support of legislative actions that would create a pathway for citizenship for the program’s participants.
The document contains the resolution to extend solidarity support from the Board of Trustees regarding the program. Illinois is one of 15 states challenging federal legislation that ended the program, according to the resolution.
Acting president Lisa Freeman also issued a response in support of students affected by the removal of the program, and other officials are now taking a position of solidarity in standing with undocumented students and employees, according to the document.
“We strongly encourage all local, state and national citizens to support our position of solidarity,” Coleman said during the meeting.
DACA and DREAM Action NIU students also spoke at the meeting, sharing their stories about life as program participants and asking the Board for more than just verbal support.
DREAM Action NIU is a student led organization created to increase awareness about the challenges undocumented students face on campus and in the U.S.
“Even though we do not have DACA anymore, we still have our stories,” said Yeon Woo Kim, DREAM Action NIU co-president, during the meeting. “Our stories have the potential to humanize immigration and begin the conversation about the factors that push people to immigrate to the United States.”
The resolution has also been sent to Illinois lawmakers, and a copy of the document will be placed in official files of the Board of Trustees as part of the permanent record of the university.
Although the Board extended solidarity support, DREAM Action NIU student speakers asked for more than just this support.
“It’s wonderful that we have this support, so I think at this institution there are things we can do,” Vivaldo Cholula said during the meeting. “The statement of support is important right now, but in the coming months, we are going to need more than just statements of support. We are going to need tangible resources that undocumented students can access in order to succeed at NIU.”
The organization suggested having a director for undocumented students who would be in charge of addressing needs of undocumented students on campus and more financial assistance for undocumented students.
The Board of Trustees will continue to do what they can to help undocumented students at NIU, Coleman said.
“We personally believe we can support one another and make the world a better place,” Coleman said. “We want students to be part of the active political process. Students that are active and political are students that will change the world.”
