Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg told Boston Public Radio that the state should make sure all DACA participants attending school in Massachusetts will be able to continue their education.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced today that the Trump Administration will be ending the DACA program,which provides legal protections to around 800,000 individuals who were brought to the country illegally as children.
In 2012, Governor Deval Patrick extended in-state tuition rates to DACA participants as part of his interpretation of the federal policy issued by President Barack Obama.
"Step one is to make sure these folks who are in college don't have to leave college," Rosenberg said.
Today, the presidents of 15 public community colleges in Massachusetts issued a statement criticizing the Trump Administration's decision.
“Ending DACA and subjecting these individuals to deportation not only contradicts our shared values and the inherent principles in our educational missions, but threatens the economic well-being of our region, state, and country,” the statement read.
Rosenberg also said he would work with other state government officials to protect DACA participants who are already in the workforce.
"We'd work with the governor, the speaker, and the attorney general to figure out what protections we can give those young people," Rosenberg said. "We don't want those young people to go into the shadows ... out of fear."
Rosenberg called on Congress to make the DACA program law.
"Congress: do your job," he said.
To hear more from state Senate President Stan Rosenberg, click on the audio player above.
