Student Government Senate passed a resolution affirming UF President Kent Fuchs’ support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program Tuesday night, but not without debate.
The resolution, authored by Senator Dylan Santalo (Impact, District A), the Hispanic Student Association President Robert Lemus and Senator Soloni Patel (Impact, District D), advocated support for UF students and their families represented under the DACA Program.
Senator Yael Diamond (Impact, Springs) said she and Senator Daniel Weldon (Impact, Keys) opposed the resolution because they do not believe it’s Fuchs’ place to comment on politics as the president of a federally funded institution.
“Just because the president says something, that doesn't mean we have to support him," Weldon said at the meeting about Fuchs' statement.
After debate, senators passed the resolution with a vote of 49-11.
Diamond said neither she nor Weldon oppose DACA but believe SG shouldn’t take a political side.
“Senate Chambers is not the proper place for this legislation to be passed,” Diamond said.
At the meeting, Weldon, who is the president of UF Young Americans for Freedom, said he thinks SG is isolating conservative students by passing the resolution.
Weldon said some of his constituents and people on campus reached out to him concerned SG is not representing them appropriately.
Victor Santos, a UF business management junior and candidate with Inspire Party, spoke during public debate at the meeting and told senators he objected to the resolution because Fuchs should have just said, “This is happening, but we’re here to help you.”
“President Fuchs is essentially endorsing coming here illegally and telling students that are here illegally that it was OK that they basically committed a crime,” Santos said.
The 20-year-old said he came to the U.S. legally in 2010 after his mother had saved enough money to bring him. Santos’s mother transferred work location with a restaurant chain from Brazil to the U.S. in 2007, after three years of working with the American government to do so.
“It’s not fair for people like me that did the hard work to endorse people that applied to DACA,” said Santos, adding students have other legal options to stay in the U.S.
Ben Lima, the president of Inspire Party, said in a statement the party supports students of all backgrounds and ideologies, but political views expressed by candidates do not necessarily reflect the party's views.
When he presented his resolution, Santalo said he didn’t take a side. He said he wrote the resolution because he wanted to commemorate Fuchs’ statement that DACA students who came to the U.S. to improve themselves can stay here and continue what they’re fighting to do.
“I think it’s great we have continued discussion in Senate,” Santalo said. “I am happy that the bill passed.”
Senator Ian Green (Impact, Business Administration) spoke in favor of the resolution and said he believes it is not about politics, but about supporting students who would be affected.
“The only side of this resolution is speaking towards the side of the Gator Nation and making sure it’s welcoming for all students,” Green said.
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