Essay on The Struggles of Undocumented Students

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

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.

If you were to ask the seniors in my class what their plans are after high school, a majority of them will tell you college. Some will attend UCs, others CSUs, and some will attend community college.Some attend community college because their legal status hinders them to attend a four year university right away, but at community colleges that is not the case. As an AB540 student living in California, going to college is already an obstacle that has had some relief, California allows undocumented students to receive state aid and loans, one form of this type of aid is the BOG fee waiver, making students in financial need to have a tuition free community college experience. Most states already

Tales of Survival 101 for Undocumented Latina/o Immigrant University Students: Commentary and Recommendations From Qualitative Interviews

Undocumented students have a harder time trying to pursue a higher education; this is due to the fact that they cannot receive federal aid. College is like a safe haven for these undocumented students. Higher education gives undocumented students the opportunity to better themselves as individuals. Higher education also allows undocumented students to pursue a better life for themselves and for their family. Every year over 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school in the United States (Gray). Experts estimate that fewer than 6,500 of those undocumented students actually go on to attend college (Sheehy). One reason for why the amount is so low is because college is expensive for these undocumented students. Undocumented students are unable to achieve any of these goals, that is, unless they receive federal aid. It is sad to see undocumented students give up on their dream to attend college and get a higher education.

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.

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.

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

Through amnesty policies such as the DREAM act, illegal immigrants will have more access to a better education. This act will allow “students who have been living in the U.S. since they were young, a chance to contribute back to the country that has given so much to them and a chance to utilize their hard earned education and talents,” (Basic Information about the DREAM Act

Many of the undocumented students were brought to the United States at a very young age, not by their choice but of their parents. With great potential and willingness to succeed, many do not have the same opportunities as those of their peers. Millions of students have filed their deferred act in hope of getting an opportunity

Significance: Since 2001, state legislatures have been battling over the issue of whether or not to provide undocumented students, who have lived in this country for many years, a chance at a low-cost college education.

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.

The United States is a country affected by illegal immigration. The term illegal aliens or what is most commonly known as illegal immigrants, the word alien is simply a person who comes from a foreign country. A much more accurate expression for these groups of individuals is the term illegal alien. The term illegal alien is a much more precise term because it deals with both undocumented aliens as well as nonimmigrant visa overstayers. Both terms illegal alien as well as illegal immigrant are used to describe individuals who have broken the law of our country to enter and work illegally. The majority of the immigrants who come to this country illegally are in search of the