Statement of UC President and former DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano on immigration

The proposals under consideration in Congress fall far short of a comprehensive solution to our broken immigration system and, most important, are contrary to our nation’s values. The growing humanitarian crisis on our southern border, where children are forcibly separated from their parents, and the fact that hundreds of thousands of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are being used as pawns in a political debate to build a border wall, are further indication of the urgent need for a real conversation around immigration reform.

Our nation of immigrants is made stronger by its diversity. Congress and the administration must come together to pass legislation that reflects the values of our country, ensures the safety of our borders and provides a resolution for those brought to the U.S. as children who only know this country as home. It is imperative that Congress pass, and the president sign into law, legislation that protects our nation’s DACA recipients and provides them a path to citizenship.