Immigration Laws and Its Impact on Undocumented Immigrant Students

Immigration has always been a complex issue in the United States. Previous and current administrations have had great difficulties in setting policies and programs in place to address this problem. During the course of American history, laws were enacted to address such issues. There were numerous legislative milestones in regards to immigration in the United States. In order to understand the current issues regarding immigration, we have to look back at the policies that were in place along with the goals that they intended to serve. According to (Barusch, 2012), the United States had an open immigration policy; which means that anyone could relocate to this country. As a result of this policy, the government had to redefine

As they go through their college years, undocumented students face the burdens of not having the financial aid and the legal stability required for success. The support provided to undocumented college students comes from their peers because they can count of each other and relate to each other. The social networks undocumented students create with trusted peers and staff are a fundamental part to help them get through the difficult times that impact their college success. One way for undocumented students to find support is through college organizations where students can feel safe (Hallett, 2013). Undocumented students can gain resources and information about topics like immigration laws and financial opportunities in their campus and at the same time be able to connect with more students and college staff. The Dream Project is one of the safe spaces “Dreamers” can count on at California State University,

In “Undocumented students’ Access to College: The American Dream Denied,” Chavez, Soriano and Olivia (2007) have stated that millions of students who live in United States are undocumented immigrants; most of them come to U.S at a very young age. They completed their high school and achieved great academic success, some of them even got admitted by well know universities. From 2002 onwards , Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) , authorized by the late Marco Antonio Firebaugh , allows any student who has completed three years high school, and received a high school diploma or equivalent in California, regardless of their immigration status, are legally allowed to attend colleges and universities (Chavez,Soriano and Oliverez 256).Even though they are eligible to apply and be admitted to universities, but they are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid, without the help of financial aid, it is extremely difficult for them to afford tuition. In this case, it severely limits undocumented student’s chances for upward mobility.

This paper explores the United States, Immigration Policy from an historical, fair and factual perspective. The Immigration Act of 1990 States limited “unskilled workers to 10,000 a year. Skilled labor requirements and immediate family reunification were major goals. The Act continued to promote the nuclear family model, foreign-born in the US was 7%”. This paper will also explore the demographics and diversity, of immigrants, throughout the U.S. This paper includes an article form the website of the Washington, D.C., Immigration Policy Center, and American Immigration Council. This paper will examines significant research data from the Pew Research web site on Hispanic trends and immigration, around the United States. This paper will also cover numbers, facts and trends which shape the immigration policy. This paper will also include five different books written by authors concerning the immigration policy and public issues which most concern Americans. This paper will cover topics of history of social problems and the policies that address immigration, special interest groups advocacy groups, political party and supporters, social justice and ethical issues, policy outcomes of illegal immigrants and how other countries compare to the United States when dealing with immigration.

Imagine a world with an educated youth. Now imagine a parallel world where children are fighting to keep a smile on their faces, because, in truth, it is the only thing they have. In reality, this is what is happening. Youth, who have the privilege to be American citizens, are granted a very fulfilling education with a promise of a career. Children of illegal and undocumented immigrants do not have such luck. Some undocumented children in America have very promising futures and even a degree under their belts, but they cannot apply for a job because they have no proof of citizenship. A controversial topic is the matter of the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education, for Alien Minors) which permits undocumented immigrants to obtain

In 2001, Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) passed in California allowing undocumented students, who met specific requirements, the opportunity to pay in-state level tuition at any, CSU, UC, of community college of California (Diaz, 2011). This new section of the California Education Code created an exemption for undocumented students who were required to pay non-resident fees. In order for undocumented students to benefit from the AB 540 Bill they must have met certain requirements which include, a) attended a California high school for 3 full years, b) will of have graduated from a California high school or received an equivalent of a diploma, c) must register or be

The DREAM Act plays a big role in the nation’s effort to have the highest proportion of graduates in the world by 2020 (Miranda). Allowing this to pass would reduce the drop out rate significantly all throughout the country. 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school every year. In Luis Miranda’s Get The Facts On The Dream Act, Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan has stated that passing the Dream Act will allow “these young people to live up to their fullest potential and contribute to the economic growth of our country.” It gives students the incentive to go through school and get a degree. When undocumented students are attending school, some colleges wont accept them. Knowing that, they do not have the drive or interest in pursuing a college degree. A lot of immigrants now will finish high school, get there diploma, then go find a job. Having this bill passed will change the education in the United States forever.

The Dream Act, the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act is a bipartisan legislation pioneered by Sen. Orin Hatch [R-UT] and Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL].The undocumented students will granted a conditional legal status. Within the 6 years the student must be able to obtain a degree from a four year university. After the 6 years passes the conditional status becomes a legal American citizen. The following is the detailed qualification process obtained from the official web site of the dream act:

Immigration has been a controversial topic for many years. Recently though the government and the people have come to some difficult impasses in what each deems a good idea versus a bad idea when dealing with immigrants. In this article, we find the topic of immigration mixed with the ever-present topic of educational cost. To say college is expensive would be an understatement. The cost to go to college is high and it often guides a person’s choice in where they go. In-state tuition is one of the small ways a student can minimize the exuberant costs that will haunt them for the next ten years. Unfortunately for those students, who although they were raised in the state of Texas do not posses the requirements of being a Texas citizen, the help

Is higher education an entitlement? As a daughter of immigrants, this question can not be answered by a simple yes or no. Every area of policy is multifaceted. Every idea about policy draws certain boundaries in the realm of politics and in the debate of social and economic legislation. “Ideas tell what or who is included or excluded in a category.”(Stone). The rationale of public policy is taking a complex agenda, situation or idea and attempting to scale it back into main points, arguments and agendas. Furthermore, an issue is “placed on the agenda,” and a problem gets defined…alternative solutions are proposed, analyzed, legitimized, selected and refined. A solution is implemented…” (Stone 10-11). In this instance, reducing any answer to a simple yes or no response fails to capture different points of views and different ideas and the diverse amount of forces at play. Matters of community, loyalty and public interest almost always ignore the school of rationale thought. For this purpose, using the very ambiguous label of “Americans”, we all must reconcile our social perceptions of what was believed to be our American heritage for what it visibly is.

Here in the Rio Grande Valley immigration has become the hit. An immigrant in my own words is someone from a different country that travels to an alternative country permanently for a better life. I belief they are many unlike reasons why people live in their country but cross to another country. Actually, I’m not in immigrant, I’m a US citizen but I have experienced many stories and seen families struggle from this situation. Nevertheless, to my own experience, some people move to the US to find better jobs, but some move to different counties to look forward not only to better their education but their children’s as well. In this research paper I will be pointing out the important factors and expectations of illegal immigrants in the US,

Young illegal immigrants who would be able to benefit from the DREAM Act have difficulties when it comes to have access to higher education and high paying jobs because of their illegal status. And passing the DREAM Act will help them reach their educational and professional goals. Passing the DREAM Act will contribute in lowering the high-school dropout rates and will motivate young illegal immigrants to go to college. Moreover, without the DREAM Act, most of the young illegal immigrant are ineligible for most types of college financial assistance such as Federal loans and Pell grants. Additionally, many scholarships require applicants to have US citizenship or the

Along with its economic classes, American is known for its freedom, its liberty, and the melting pot of ethnicity. This ethnic diversity comes form the immigrant population in the country. However this perfect country is a major falsehood. These untrue ideals of harmony, freedom, success, and equality are deceptive and do not show the struggles that immigrants face when coming to this class dominated country. The immigrants of today do not come from just Europe, but overwhelmingly from Asia and Latin America. “They are driving a demographic shift so rapid that within the lifetimes of today 's teenagers, no one ethnic group – including whites of European descent – will comprise a majority of the nation 's population’ (Colombo, Cullen, Lisle). These immigrants challenge the social myth that everyone has an equal chance in life. They

Secondary education is a highly debated subject. Many critics of secondary education say that inner-city high schools and students are not receiving the same attention as students from non inner-city high schools. Two of the biggest concerns are the lack of school funding that inner-city high schools are receive and the low success rate in sending inner-city high schools graduates to college. Critics say that while inner-city high schools struggle to pay its teachers and educate its student’s non inner-city high schools don’t have to deal with the lack of school funding. Also students from non inner-city high school are not being given the opportunity to attend colleges once the

Children of undocumented immigrants are entitled to public education, because the U.S. constitution guarantees that migrant children and children born in the U.S. have equal educational opportunities. European immigrants migrated to the United States without question of their legal status, and were able to easily blend in, however, in the current time, race plays a great part in how people perceive undocumented migrants. Children are the future of our country and their education shouldn’t be determined by their parent’s legal status. I plan to use this article to explain how immigrants are treated differently than they were in the past, and how race may play a role into it.