Undocumented Children In America Essay

The reality that immigration policies and registration requirements create for undocumented students is a grim one; despite their scholarly capability, thousands upon thousands of undocumented students who have completed high school do not continue on with their education because of the lack of legal paperwork (DREAM Act). This has been the story line for countless undocumented valedictorians, like Grecia Cantu, who’s dream of going to Baylor University to become a teacher was plucked by a simple mandate of Congress (Smith). Despite having a presidential scholarship to Baylor University, Grecia’s future is hampered by her illegal status in the country and the inactivity of the DREAM Act in congress, which is due largely to its brisk opponents. Critics of the legislation falsely advocate that it grants preferential treatment to undocumented students (Malkin 1). In reality, the DREAM Act only grants qualifying individuals with a temporary residency, a driver’s license, and a work permit (Giving the Fact). This allows the students who meet the criteria the same tuition rates as natural-born citizens and a legal way to work and drive in the country. Another resounding critic among the opponents of the bill includes the common misconception that the DREAM Act will provide amnesty and forgive the federal offense immigrants committed when they entered the country illegally (Smith). In truth, only immigrants who entered the country during their youth, before age 16, are eligible for the benefits of the legislation. Once they apply, they will have to fulfill the requirements of completing a 2-year college or serve a 2-year term in the armed forces to finally receive resident status, not citizenship, after 6 years of proved residency (Creating Opportunities). If Congress allowed this legislation to

Approximately 200,000 to 225,000 undocumented immigrants enroll in American institutions of higher education and represent 2 percent of all students in college (Suarez-Orozco, Katsiaficas, Birchall, Alcantar, & Hernandez, 2015). Undocumented students have low rates of enrollment to programs of higher education in comparison to documented students. When undocumented students begin college, they go through struggles to adapt and assimilate to college life. As a result of feeling disconnected to the campus they attend, undocumented students may look for different options for support, such as clubs and centers offered for students. In recent years, there have been legal changes set in place to support the success of undocumented students enrolled in higher education, which include in state tuition, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities. These changes have given undocumented students more choices and access to

Out of those million immigrants there are about one out of five children under the age of eighteen are either an immigrant or a child of immigrants parents. (Orozco, 2001). The majority of immigrants are from Latino or Asian origin. The United States has been experiencing a large wave of people coming into this country to start a new life from what they had before. Every region in the country is experiencing the growth of immigration every year. With this new immigration the U.S is witnessing immigrant children take over public schools. Today immigrant students are becoming the fastest population to grow in the child population in the United States (Hamilton, 2010). Many parents send their children to the United States and separate themselves from them because they want them to have a better life and live the American dream. Many kids go to school at a young age and get through high school and college and even start their careers. But many of them have to live in fear of being found out. They can’t trust many people, even the closest one to them (Vargas,

If we talk about undocumented immigrants in United States, we usually focus on the benefits and jobs they take from our country, but have we ever stood in their shoes and imagine what life is like for an illegal immigrant? To live as an undocumented immigrant is a bad situation, but I believe to be a child of an undocumented immigrant is even worse, because their choices are limited and they are unaware of their rights to attend colleges. In this research, I will focus on undocumented immigrant students, who are unable to afford for higher education, and the fear of their unknown future which is mainly cause by their undocumented status. The largest invisible group in America, to explore “what are the struggles and unsolved problems of

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

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.

Undocumented students are becoming a growing outrage in the United States. It has been a constant battle amongst the students, the schools, and the Government. According to collegeboard.com, statistics shows that 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools each year (collegeboard.com).After graduating high school they face legal and financial barriers to higher education. This paper will address the importance of this growing outrage and discuss the following that corresponds to it.

The US labor force would not survive if it was not for illegal immigrants. If there were no illegal immigrants our labor force would decrease by four percent (Isidore 5). “We could not have grown as much as we did in the 1990s if we did not have immigrants… our growth would have been slower (Isidore 5).” Having illegal immigrants in our labor force increases the amount of resources we have, which increases the amount of production in the country. “Some economists discuss that not only do U.S. consumers benefit from lower prices as an outcome of the low wages most immigrants are paid, but that the convenience of lower-wage labor helps create more work for higher-skilled, higher-paid workers who are generally born in the US (Isidore 14).” Illegal immigrants are opening up higher wage jobs, because they take over the lower wage jobs. Many immigrants take jobs in the field of construction, agriculture

In the recent election, many immigrants are in fear of their lives due to the political climate that the president-elect has instigated. Donald Trump has promoted aggressive anti-immigrant rhetoric throughout his campaign and now that he is the future successor, there is an implication of mass deportation. Trump has even stated he intends to undo the executive orders that President Obama has issued several years prior in favor of young adults who have been taken into the country as a young child without knowledge that it was against the law. These individuals that hold the DACA or TPS citizenship are in jeopardy of having their legal existence of being in the United States stripped away. Not to mention, away to combat this situation is to install a program that allows immunity from deportation and allow a direct path to American citizenship if these individuals show merit to the economy and are law abiding.

Immigrants are making jobs harder for Americans. Because the immigrants are taking more labor jobs, the Americans have to find more scholars jobs which requires them to go to school for a longer. Tuition in America is very high ad most people cannot afford to pay for school unless you received some scholarship. Many people wonder if this act it compensated as much as it supposed to. According to Terrazas (2010) states that Mexican immigrant’s population in the United States has outsize other groups immigrant. In 2008, there were over 10 million Mexican immigrants alone that came to the United States. Over half of all Mexican immigrants live in the United States undocumented. Most of them are unable to get in contact with their families members. From a personal interview with one of my students at work, I found that her mom was an undocumented immigrant, and a year ago the FBI got dame to her house, she got deported to Haiti. She had to leave her three children with their father. The moment someone violates nonimmigrant status or a form of entry into the U.S, the consequences are harsh for family to

America is the number one country that people from all around the world want to come in order to have a better life. To be able to enter the United States legally, the country requires a Visa for entering and be able to stay in the period of time. However there are some people that happen to enter the country illegally without the visa. According to the Migration Policy institute, in 2012 there are 11.4 undocumented immigrants in the US. and 4.1 million undocumented immigrants who brought children who were under 16 to the country with them. Unfortunately, the children who come to America illegally at such a young age do not know about their status in the country. They embrace America as their own country and they are familiar with the US. more than the countries that they were born in. Moreover young undocumented immigrants who grow up in America more likely to eager to push themselves to be nearly as American. Education is what makes them move to the middle class, to be Americanized. Although, the road for young undocumented immigrants had been impossible to reach, but the government has been introduced the policy that makes young undocumented students’ lives more reality which are “DACA and DREAMS Act”. DACA and DREAM act are the policies that have good benefits to young undocumented immigrants, however, there are downsides to this two policies that could harm immigrants who live in America illegally.

Illegal people come to United State for a better future for their family but more for their kid’s future. To have a better education and a better future different from their parents who maybe didn’t finish their education because they had to work to help their family in their native land. There are millions of people from different lands who have to immigrate to a better state to look for their future even if they become illegal. They do the jobs that others don’t do like work on the field or lands keeping because others don’t want to do it because they are difficult work to do. There’s more jobs that are hard to do and that illegal immigrants do them to get money. The students that come with their parents from their nation and don’t know ingles it’s hard for them to learn the new language but they do their best to learn it to be bilingual and have a better job in the future, some of them come when they are little and learn it fast but others come teenagers and is harder for them because they have learn another language when they were

Throughout the early years the United States was depicted as a safe haven for millions of immigrants coming from all over the world, including Scotland, England, Holland and several others amongst them. Recently the problem of overpopulation has been a subject that needs to be decided; whether it is to give amnesty or a path towards it to the illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades. In present date these illegal immigrants have little opportunity in the United States and wasn’t until recently that Obama’s proposition in 2012 has taken the first step towards giving young illegal immigrant students the opportunity to attend college/university and

Immigration laws have been a subject of debate throughout American history, especially in states such as California and Texas, where immigrant populations are high. Recently, some citizens have been questioning whether we should continue to educate the children of illegal immigrants. While this issue is steeped in emotional controversy, we must not allow divisive "us against them" rhetoric to cloud our thinking. Yes, educating undocumented immigrants costs us, but not educating them would cost us much more.

When we were all young and in school, the brightest amongst us competed for the best grades and the most stickers. Instant rewards fueled us to do better. We all felt that we were equal, and we all believed we had the same opportunities. Our report cards depended only on our dedication and commitment. Nothing depended on our legal status in the United States, and not many of us understood what status meant in the first place. Unfortunately, some of the brightest of our peers would eventually grow up and be denied an opportunity to attend high-ranking universities due to their lack of legal status. Undocumented students who are accepted are offered no financial aid and would unfortunately have to turn down the opportunity to attend school because it is unaffordable.These people have already demonstrated ability and are exactly the sort of people that we want as part of our society. Allowing illegal immigrants to attain documentation under the requirements of college education or military service, as outlined in the various forms of the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act, would actually create increases in tax revenue and economic growth.