Undocumented Students Should Not Be A Higher Education

My parents always wanted to give their children the life they never had. I am Mexican-American, both of my parents immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. before I was born. I have numerous relatives, including my older sister, who do not have the same opportunities I have to achieve success because they are undocumented. For them, college was only a dream that could never be attained. Being the first U.S. citizen out of my entire family affected the way I thought about life. It was expected that I would attend college because I was the only one who had access to all the resources granted to American citizens. Although, I agreed with my family, the pressure to succeed and be a role model to my younger siblings was overwhelming.

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

I have the privilege of being a citizen of the United States therefore obtaining my degree is significantly easier for me than it is for undocumented

This paper will try to explain the variety of hardships many Mexican-American students endure in hopes to gain a higher education. Many are driven by the “American Dream”, which is the idea that individuals living in the U.S. have the equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and abilities. The American Dream often motivates foreigners to enter the United States illegally, hoping for that “equal opportunity” to success. However, not everyone living in the U.S. has equal opportunities, compared to native-born American citizens. This is why it can be difficult for Mexican-American students to attend colleges and universities. A higher education is difficult to obtain for Mexican-American students because of their low socioeconomic status, their differing cultural and structural characteristics, and the social and political institutions in our current society. Although this paper does not focus on the educational opportunities in Mexico, this paper will mostly focus on the educational system in the United States, particularly California State University, San Bernardino. In addition, this paper will refer to Mexican-American students as first-generation college students.

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.

Being an undocumented college student can be very difficult, there are many economical and emotional barriers. College tuition doubles when you are undocumented and must be a resident of the state you’d like to attend school in. Some schools require you to be US born in other to attend the school. Fortunately, Deferred Action for Childhood

An educational reform in higher education would eliminate the many educational and occupational barriers undocumented students face today. By permitting access to undocumented students into postsecondary education and earn a degree would eliminate poverty and unemployment levels in the country. It is essential to give as many young people undocumented or not the opportunity to enroll and succeed in postsecondary education to strengthen the economy of the United States. The younger generations are the future of this country and undocumented students are not the exception. These young students also play an important part in society today and if given the opportunity to earn a professional degree will most definitely impact American society in the years to come.

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.

Imagine this, going through high school having a 3.5 GPA, a four-year scholarship and having your dream university asking you to attend their school. Sounds awesome right? What happens when all of a sudden your four-year scholarship is taken away? Especially if this was your only financial resource that would help you attend school and all because you weren’t a U.S Citizen and your only hope happens to be the Dream Act. This bill will give undocumented students the opportunity to further their education and work their way to citizenship. Not only will these kids be helped, but they would also be able to help this economy become less flat as Thomas L. Friedman the author of the World Is Flat puts it. Friedman feels that foreign countries

There are around 11.7 million illegal Mexican immigrants living in the United States. Today many of the teenagers of those immigrants are obtaining a free access to college education. [How are the illegals obtaining (getting) access to the free college?] On average a college education would cost a legal citizen going to a four-year college, which doesn’t include books, transport, and personal expenses can range from $107,000 to around $370,000. For example, there is a teenager named Indira Esparza, an illegal immigrant, graduated from University City in San Diego, California. She was able to secure a spot attending an expensive and exclusive private school, that is for the elite, with a full scholarship, $10,000 and other material. Esparza does not have to pay for books, transportation, and

An issue that immigrants face is paying for the cost of college. According to the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, DACA does not give citizenship or student aid. Students who go to college with grants, scholarship, or loans will still have to pay a higher cost in tuition. Although the Dream Act may seem beneficial, according to the American Immigration council, it has yet not become a law and does not offer financial

I believe that undocumented immigrants should be eligible for free public education, but as afar for health care and social services I still have mixed feelings. I believe that with so much controversy around this issue of undocumented immigrants, I stand for what is fair for undocumented and documented groups. For example, in the educational resource, I believe that all the children regardless of their documents status should be educated. The main factor I will suggest why undocumented children should be educated is because they are now part of our society. And either we like it or not, either is fair or not, either we have opinion about the whole immigration status. The children are here now, they are part of our society, and eventually they

Our country is supposed to be the land of opportunity, its astonishing that undocumented individuals are being denied access to education. In addition to, not allowing undocumented students the right to attend state and community colleges is hindering them from a brighter future, safer environment, and the ability to achieve their american dream. According to the ULCA institute reported that “these undocumented, high-achieving students whose talents are worth nurturing, and have higher GPAs than American undergraduates as a whole.” It’s been proven that undocumented students are striving for a better future and have talents worth paying attention too. Although these high-achieving students face not only financial and legal issues, they also

With education being the number priority and the reason why many immigrants came to the United States, but with many organizations have been helping many immigrants in achieving their citizenship, but also helping students with scholarships with non-profit foundation, meaning that the no federal organization gave them money with no strict requirements about their status in the U.S to get this scholarships. An organization located here is here in Texas that is called the North Texas Dream Act which helps millions immigrants that still don’t have legal status yet and helps them in many ways by giving funds and scholarships to students that are in need to find money to finish their career and start a good life. Other ways of achieving funds to pay for tuition at certain college or universities by receiving in state tuition that is based on financial aid but the requirement aren’t very crucial they just to live in the state for two years and graduated from high school or got a GED. For example Texas has the application Texas Application for State financial aid and many don’t even know it exists being that it existed for more than a decade. If parents were to leave and be deported the student

Like many undocumented families in the the United States, my family has had our share of financial struggles. My mother is unemployed and raising four kids. My father is the only one who is employed in my family; he works as a construction worker at an annual income of about $26,000 tight budget . Despite the financial challenges that my family and I face, we live comfortably. We may not live in the most luxurious or healthiest place in the world but it is this neighborhood that built my personality and my perspective of the world. The first thing that comes up to mind is,”How am I going to afford a higher education?” I will rely heavily on financial aid and may have to pick up a part time job to cover the rest of tuition cost. I am looking forward to college and will not allow my financial situation stop me in my pursuit of higher education.