President Kington Joins Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

Grinnell’s President Raynard S. Kington has joined with hundreds of American college and university leaders in the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a collective effort to improve how colleges and universities address immigration-related matters affecting their campuses.

The alliance, which launched last month, says it will support adoption of best practices on campuses and work in a unified manner to communicate the need for federal and state policies that create a welcoming environment for immigrant, undocumented, and international students.

The alliance’s most urgent priority at this time is to find a legislative solution for young undocumented immigrants now affected by the government rescindment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Kington’s membership in this group continues his support for our students. In an earlier message to campus, Kington shared, “I feel very strongly about this issue; I am the son of an immigrant. My father was an immigrant brought to this country as a child. My grandfather was initially undocumented and deported from Ellis Island, but went on to gain legal status and to help his family to build a life in this country.”