As a scholarly and educational organization founded on the promotion, advancement, and preservation not only of Italian culture but also intercultural competence, the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI), which consists of members worldwide, welcomes talented citizens from all nations to come to the United States to study, teach, and pursue research. As such, AATI is gravely concerned about President Trump’s decision to nullify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which had protected more than 800,000 young people from deportation:
The AATI is saddened and dismayed by President Trump’s decision to overturn the DACA program. The “Dreamers” came to the United States of America as children and now face the crisis of deportation from the only country they call home.
As an organization rooted in the migrant experience, we are directly invested in and affected by the dismantling of DACA and we believe that immigration reform is necessary and must be addressed. We advocate that Congress act to address the future of these young people, young Americans, by executing the bipartisan Dream Act of 2017, to demonstrate compassionate, universal immigration reform for all.