Join roundtable discussions and rotate between ten tables of your choice every twenty minutes from 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM. Engage in thought-provoking conversations and network with diverse professionals. At 12:15 PM, enjoy the lunch buffet and continue the discussions.

Over the last decade, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has protected more than 830,000 individuals who previously lived in constant fear of deportation from the United States. This group of marginalized young people, commonly known as Dreamers, were brought to the United States without proper documentation and/or the means to maintain legal status in the United States. DACA has enabled these young people to work lawfully, attend school, travel outside the U.S. for short periods, and generally come out of the shadows and live without the constant threat of being returned to a country they hardly know. An overwhelming number of Dreamers have pursued education. The majority have graduated from high school and nearly half have attained some college education. Ninety-three percent of DACA recipients responded to a survey stating that because of DACA, “[They] pursued educational opportunities that [they] previously could not.” Now, lawsuits questioning the legality of DACA threaten to end the program. Many anticipate that shortly, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide the fate of DACA. Is the dream over? Or are there ways to help Dreamers legalize their status in the United States? What role can educators and educational institutions play in helping Dreamers legalize their status? This presentation will focus on how participation in study abroad programs may help DACA recipients legalize their status in the United States.