On Tuesday Sept. 5, the Trump administration announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The program, established by former President Obama and commonly referred to as DACA, had protected young undocumented immigrants who had come to the United States as children. 

As Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., put it in his statement to the University on the repeal of the DREAM Act bill, the announcement is “disheartening.”

Along with his pledge of support and commitment to DACA on campus, Donohue stated that he will not require students to divulge their citizen status and referred any students affected by President Donald Trump’s decision to student resources on campus including the Villanova Counseling Center and the Center for Access Success and Achievement (CASA). 

“Villanova is home to more than 10,000 students from many backgrounds and nationalities and they are all essential to the vitality of our community,” Donohue said. “There is no doubt that over the past 175 years, Villanova University has benefited tremendously from the contributions made to our community and nation by immigrants. We will continue to do all that we can to support all of our members.”

In the wake of the DACA announcement, it is more important than ever to celebrate diversity across college campuses, including ours. 

The University features over 50 organizations rooted in culture. Over the next few weeks, The Villanovan culture section will feature several of the diversity clubs and organizations on campus in a special series. 

• Part 1, Alpha Psi Lambda
• Part 2, Armenian Student Association
• Part 3, Black Culture Society