On Tuesday, President Trump announced that his administration would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), which permits young adults who entered the country illegally to attend college and obtain employment. The average DACA participant entered the U.S. at the age of six years old and is 25 years old today.
“Among the approximately 800,000 U.S. residents who have registered for the DACA program are 65 medical school students and countless others studying related health fields including nursing, dentistry, behavioral health, and emergency care,” said Stephen L. Boswell, MD, FACP, President & CEO of Fenway Health. “Today, Fenway Health joins many other leaders in healthcare, tech, and education in urging Congress to pass legislation that will allow these residents, most of whom count the United States as the only home they’ve ever known, to apply for legal status and eventual citizenship. Communities are only as healthy and strong as their members. Jeopardizing the well-being, safety, and security of residents engaged in educational, work, and family pursuits also puts community and public health at risk.”