NEW YORK, N.Y., March 5, 2018—As we reach President Trump’s deadline for Congress to find a permanent solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, Teach For America Chief Executive Officer Elisa Villanueva Beard released the following statement:

“Teach For America continues to stand by our DACA community and the undocumented students in our classrooms. We are disheartened to see today come without a legislative solution that will provide them with a pathway to citizenship.

Since DACA went into effect more than five years ago, Teach For America has recruited nearly 200 DACA recipients to lead in classrooms, schools, and communities where their talents are needed most. They include some 160 DACA educators who reach 10,000 students across 11 states, teaching English, science, math, special education, art and more. Every day, they fight to ensure that every child in America has access to an excellent education. They contribute significantly to their classrooms and communities and serve as role models, civic leaders, and advocates. They make our country stronger.

Teach For America was deeply disappointed six months ago when the president decided to phase out the DACA program. We worked alongside our DACA community to urge Congress to adopt a permanent, bipartisan legislative solution by the administration’s March 5 deadline. Many of our students already live in fear that their parents or siblings will be deported, and now they fear losing their teachers as well. This is a devastating day for our vulnerable students, our valued educators, and many others, but it will not stop us in our pursuit of equity and excellence for every child.

Today we stand firmly with our DACA community and recommit to our advocacy for a bipartisan legislative solution that will prevent deportation and provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth without adding additional provisions that could harm immigrant communities. Teachers should not be relegated to the shadows when they belong at the front of our classrooms.”