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President Crawford responds to Trump's dismantling of DACA

President Trump on Tuesday formally announced the end of DACA--a program which shielded about 800,000 undocumented immigrants from deportation. Introduced during the Obama administration, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program allowed young adults who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to work and study in the U.S. without fear of immediate removal.

In a statement published Tuesday night on Miami's website, university president Greg Crawford urged Congress to develop a plan to protect DACA students attending college in the U.S.

Though the Department of Homeland Security will not process any new applications for the program, Congress has a six-month window to act before the administration will start to phase out protections for those currently in the program.

In December, Crawford, along with presidents from all 14 of Ohio's public universities, signed a letter asking U.S. senators to support the BRIDGE Act, which would have allowed people who are eligible for work authorization and temporary relief from deportation through DACA to continue living in the U.S.

Since the Trump administration gave few details in today's announcement, Miami will "continue to monitor developments and consult with experts in this area," according to the statement.

"These students have enriched the learning environment and brought a wide array of talents and abilities to our state and nation," said Crawford in the statement.