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Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

Website:

www.presidentsalliance.org/
Founded:

2017
Founders:

Louis Caldera and Miriam Feldblum

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The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration (abbreviated as “the Presidents’ Alliance”) is comprised of over 550 university presidents, and advocates for left-of-center expansionist immigration policy. 1 It is a partner project of the National Center for Civic Innovation, a nonprofit that manages the legal and financial responsibilities for its partner nonprofit organizations. 2

The Presidents’ Alliance created the RESPONSE Campaign, a proposed university sponsorship program that would recruit potential students from refugee camps around the world. The program would fund the higher education of accepted refugees and provide an immigration pathway for students to remain in the U.S. following the completion of their studies. 3 4 The Presidents’ Alliance has advocated for universities to extend in-state tuition to illegal-immigrant students to increase student diversity following the U.S. Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action programs on campuses in 2023. 5 6

The President’s Alliance is funded by and affiliated with several organizations, including FWD.US Education Fund, a left-of-center expansionist immigration organization co-founded by Mark Zuckerberg; 7 Open Society Policy Center, a lobbying group founded by liberal billionaire George Soros; 8 and Schmidt Futures, whose CEO came under fire for indirectly funding the salaries of more than two dozen officials in the Biden administration. 9 10

Background

The Presidents’ Alliance was founded in 2017 with the mission of supporting immigrant and international students on college campuses. The organization has focused its efforts on lobbying the government in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), hosting webinars and creating toolkits dedicated to supporting illegal immigrants, and expanding the number of immigrants receiving higher education.  11

Since its founding, the Presidents’ Alliance has supported the implementation of a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and other illegal immigrants. Louis Caldera, co-founder of the Presidents’ Alliance, stated, “Congress should declare the program [DACA] a success and enshrine a pathway for Dreamers’ citizenship into law once and for all.” 12

Advocacy and Lobbying

In 2020, the Presidents’ Alliance sent a letter to then-President-elect Joe Biden urging his administration to implement various changes to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. These propositions included accepting applications from immigrants who were convicted of a crime five or more years prior to the application date, restoring access to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) for DACA recipients, and reallocating funds from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide financial assistance and fee waivers to DACA applicants.  13

In 2022, The Presidents’ Alliance partnered with TheDream.US to launch a “Week of Action for Dreamers,” a lobbying campaign urging Congress to pass legislation to provide permanent protections for DACA recipients and other illegal immigrants. Members of the Presidents’ Alliance participated in a Washington, D.C. fly-in to meet with Senators and their staffs.  14

As part of the campaign, the Presidents’ Alliance took part in a White House meeting with Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, where members expressed support of passing legislation that would provide current, former, and future illegal-immigrant high-school graduates and GED recipients a pathway to U.S. citizenship through college, work, or the armed services. 15 16

The Presidents’ Alliance partnered with the Higher Ed Immigration Portal to create the Refugee Sponsorship for Education (RESPONSE) campaign, a proposed sponsorship program that would recruit potential students and fund the entirety of their higher education.  17 The program would conduct outreach to refugee camps overseas but would also accept applications from individuals not officially recognized as refugees who are registered as asylum seekers. 18

The Presidents’ Alliance conducted an expected price breakdown for the program’s first year based on a projected initial cohort of 30 refugee students. The Presidents’ Alliance estimated that it would cost $1 million for the program’s staff, the coordination of stakeholders, pre-departure activities, and training of U.S. university staff, plus an additional $41,450 – $103,100 per student to cover travel costs, tuition, room and board, food, a phone and computer, textbooks, etc. 19 20 In total, the RESPONSE program would require between $2 million and $4 million in funding in its first year.

The Presidents’ Alliance identified potential funding sources, including the U.S. government, institutions of higher education, United Nations agencies, faith-based organizations, and other philanthropic organizations. 21

Funding and Affiliated Partners

Big Philanthropy

In 2021, the Presidents’ Alliance received $360,000 from FWD.US Education Fund, an immigration and criminal justice reform organization created by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. 22 Zuckerberg has funded numerous left-of-center immigration organizations, including making a $5 million donation to TheDream.US in 2015. The Dream.US is an affiliate partner organization of the Presidents’ Alliance that provides scholarships for undocumented immigrants. 23 24

The Presidents’ Alliance received $100,000 from Open Society Policy Center in 2021 and $75,000 in 2019. 25 26Open Society Policy Center is a “social welfare” lobbying organization financed by George Soros. 27

Additional donors include the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Shapiro Foundation, and the Walder Family Foundation. 28

The Presidents’ Alliance has several affiliated partners, including the Ford Foundation, Schmidt Futures, the Kresge Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and the Lumina Foundation. 29

Government Funding

With funding from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the Presidents’ Alliance helped launch the Higher Education in Refugee Resettlement (SHERR) project. SHERR was designed to involve universities in refugee resettlement by providing academic scholarships, housing, home furnishings, language training, and legal support. 30

People

The Presidents’ alliance was co-founded by Louis Caldera and Miriam Feldblum. Caldera served in the Obama administration as an Assistant to the President and as the Director of the White House Military Office. Caldera served as Secretary of the Army during the Clinton Administration. 31 32

Co-founder Miriam Feldblum previously worked as vice president for student affairs, dean of students, and professor of politics at Pomona College. She is a fellow at the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank that advocates for the legal residence for illegal immigrants. 33 34

References

  1. “Our Mission: 2022 Annual Impact Report.” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/about/mission/
  2. National Center for Civic Innovation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021, Part 3 Section 4a.
  3. “How Refugee Students Can Access the New College and University Pathway.” Higher Ed Immigration Portal. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/effective_practice/how-university-sponsorship-of-refugee-students-could-work/
  4. “FAQs to Understand a New Pathway to Refugee Students Through University Sponsorship.” Higher Ed Immigration Portal. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/effective_practice/faqs-to-understand-a-new-pathway-for-refugee-students-through-university-sponsorship/
  5. “Key Voices Call for Massachusetts to Expand In-State Tuition and Financial Aid Eligibility for Immigrant Students.” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. July 20, 2023. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/press/key-voices-call-for-massachusetts-to-expand-in-state-tuition-and-financial-aid-eligibility-for-immigrant-students/
  6. Povich, Elaine. “Nearly Half the States Now Allow In-State Tuition for Immigrant Students.” Stateline. August 16, 2023. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://stateline.org/2023/08/16/nearly-half-the-states-now-allow-in-state-tuition-for-immigrant-students/
  7. “Our Contributors.” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Accessed December 10, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/about/our-contributors/
  8. Ibid.
  9. Ibid.
  10. Thompson, Alex. “Ex-Google Boss Helps Fund Dozens of Jobs in Biden’s Administration.” Politico. December 22, 2022. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/22/eric-schmidt-joe-biden-administration-00074160#:~:text=It%20describes%20Schmidt%20Futures%20as,matter%20which%20party%20was%20victorious
  11. “2022 Annual Impact Report: Message from Presidents’ Alliance Co-Chairs and Executive Director.” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Accessed December 10, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Pres-Alliance-Annual-Impact-Report-2022-web-spreads.pdf
  12.  Caldera, Louis, Cantor, Nancy, and Núñez, Elsa. “DACA Recipients Have Helped Build the American Dream. It’s Time to Give Them a Path to Citizenship.” USA Today. June 15, 2022. Accessed December 7, 2023. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/06/15/daca-dreamers-trump-obama/7523444001/
  13. “Letter to President Joseph Biden and Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Re: Recommendations Regarding Policy, Guidance, and FAQ Improvements for

    Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA).” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. December 21, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-12-21-Letter-to-DHS-re-Recommendations-for-DACA-v2.pdf

  14. “The Presidents’ Alliance and Partners’ Education Week of Action for Dreamers!” The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Immigration. December 6, 2022. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/the-presidents-alliance-and-partners-education-weekFundi-of-action-for-dreamers/
  15. Ibid.
  16. “The Dream Act: An Overview.” American Immigration Council. March 16, 2021. Accessed December 9, 2023. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/dream-act-overview
  17. “University Sponsorship of Refugee Students.” Higher Ed Immigration Portal. November 2021. Accessed December 12, 2023. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/UniversitySponsorshipofRefugeeStudents_v1a.pdf
  18.  Ibid, page 25
  19. Ibid, page 25.
  20. Ibid, page 39.
  21. Ibid, page 35.
  22. FWD.US Education Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021, Schedule I Part 2.
  23. Wagstaff, Kieth. “Mark Zuckerberg Gives $5M to Undocumented Immigrant College Fund.” NBC News. June 17, 2015. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/mark-zuckerberg-gives-5m-undocumented-immigrant-college-fund-n377106
  24. “Our Contributors.” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Accessed December 10, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/about/our-contributors/
  25. Open Society Policy Center, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021, Schedule I Part 2.
  26. Open Society Policy Center, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I Part 2.
  27. Swartz, Jack. “Nonprofit Financed by Billionaire George Soros Quietly Donated $140 Million to Political Causes in 2021.” CNBC. Updated January 5, 2023. Accessed December 10, 2023. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/04/nonprofit-financed-by-billionaire-george-soros-donated-140-million-to-political-groups-in-2021.html
  28. “Our Contributors.” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Accessed December 10, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/about/our-contributors/
  29. Ibid.
  30. “New Program to Mobilize Higher Education Institutions to Support Refugee Resettlement.” The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. May 2, 2023. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/press/new-program-to-mobilize-higher-education-institutions-to-support-refugee-resettlement/
  31. “Staff.” The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/about/staff/
  32.  “Advisory Board.” Foreign Policy for America. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.fp4america.org/louis-caldera
  33.  “Staff.” The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.presidentsalliance.org/about/staff/
  34. “People.” National Association of Counties. Accessed December 11, 2023.  https://www.naco.org/people/miriam-feldblum
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