SMMUSD Responds to DACA Decision

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Dr. Ben Drati

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati has issued a statement on the Trump administration’s recent decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Through a press release the superintendent said he was “deeply disappointed in this decision.” Drati said the SMMUSD Board of Education reaffirms its commitment to providing all school-aged students with access to an excellent education and the opportunities an education provides without regard to immigration status or the status of their families. Drati also noted an earlier resolution by the Board from 2016 that states “our campuses will continue to be ‘safe zones.’”

The press release also noted that SMMUSD has shared resources that may be helpful to families facing immigration issues and that workshops on DACA will be held in the coming weeks by local organizations.

The DACA program, established in 2012 by former President Barack Obama, granted temporary protection from deportation to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States before the age of 16, have resided here since 2007 and meet other requirements. Some 800,000 young people in the U.S. are affected.