Why Immigrant Students Are Changing Their Minds About Janet Napolitano

When Janet Napolitano was named president of the University of California over three years ago, her appointment provoked impassioned protests by students and others upset about her role as head of the Department of Homeland Security overseeing the deportation of more than 2.5 million undocumented immigrants.

At the July 2013 board of regents meeting when she was selected to the position, protesters brandishing signs like “Undocumented is not a crime, Napolitano, it’s not your time” briefly shut down the proceedings. Cinthia Flores, the student regent and only dissenting vote against her on the board, said Napolitano’s background in immigration enforcement would “cast a long shadow on her future endeavors” at the university.

Fast forward to today. Napolitano has emerged as one of the leading defenders of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which at leastto rescind it. The program has provided temporary relief from deportation to three-quarters of 1 million undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, including many attending the University of California.