Clark Student, Supporters Urge Trump to Protect Immigrant Students

A 19-year-old Clark University sophomore's open letter to President Trump urging him to protect immigrant students has picked up support at schools nationwide.

"This is a letter that is not partisan," said Undergraduate Student President Cory Bisbee. "It's about policy."

The letter urges Trump to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, known as DACA.

"Removing these students who are currently protected under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, it's going to devastate the economy, because these are people who contribute a great deal to the economy," Bisbee said.

In the letter, Bisbee writes that more than 700,000 Americans raised and educated here have benefited from DACA since President Obama signed it into law in 2012.

"Because they were executive actions, the new president can revoke them essentially, and so I think that's a really serious concern for a lot of people at Clark and at other Universities," said Bisbee.

So far, the letter has been signed by student presidents from more than 60 colleges and universities in 27 states, representing more than 800,000 students.

Even though on the campaign trail, Trump was critical of DACA, since he's been in office White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said repealing DACA is not a priority.

Bisbee says he's more than happy to meet with the president to make the case for why keeping DREAMers here in the U.S. is important.

"I think that he understands that at the end of the day, DACA is something which does benefit the country," said Bisbee. "Political realities bring out these sorts of discussions of eliminating DACA."

Bisbee says while he hopes more colleges and universities will sign onto the letter, this is about more than words on paper. He hopes they take action.

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