SACRAMENTO – Incoming California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley, along with the heads of the University of California and California State University, on Tuesday formally asked President-elect Donald J. Trump to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – or DACA – program, which allows children of undocumented immigrants to pursue higher education in the United States.

“California’s three systems of public higher education are committed to supporting all students, including those pursuing their higher educational goals through this important program,” Oakley said. “It is vital that these students, who were brought to this country as children, have the ability to learn without fear of being deported. The California community colleges stand with these students because they represent some of the best qualities that our state and nation have to offer.”

As outlined in the letter, the California Community Colleges, UC and CSU systems each have thousands of DACA students at campuses across the state.

Oakley, UC President Janet Napolitano and CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White ask that as he assembles his cabinet and prepares to take office Trump let DACA students know that they will be allowed to remain in the country and pursue their dreams.

A full copy of the letter can be found at http://californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu/Portals/0/DocDownloads/PressReleases/NOV2016/UC-CSU-CCC-DACA-Letter-FINAL-11-29-16.pdf .

“DACA is rooted in the fundamental premise that no one should be punished for the actions of others,” the joint letter states. “In order to be eligible for DACA, an individual must have been brought to this country as a minor, stayed out of trouble, and continued to pursue an education.”

Oakley will take over as chancellor of the nation’s largest system of higher education on Dec. 19.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation composed of 72 districts and 113 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year.

For more information about the community colleges, please visit http://californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu/ , https://www.facebook.com/CACommColleges or https://twitter.com/CalCommColleges .