Statement from President John Bardo:

Wichita State University stands with our students and the national higher education community on concerns raised about today’s announcement from Washington throwing into question the future of immigrants brought to the United States as children.

Students registered under the DACA program are important contributors to Wichita State and add to the energy and intellect of our campus. Across Kansas and across the nation, the major professional associations in higher education and the presidents of research universities are supportive of DACA’s continuation.

This isn’t about a recent wave of immigrants. All students with registered DACA status arrived in the United States at least 10 years ago and were brought here by their families before their 16th birthdays.

I will reach out to members of our Kansas Congressional delegation to offer my support for a reasoned and swift solution that will allow DACA students to remain at Wichita State University until graduation and pursue their lives and careers in Kansas, free from the fear of deportation.