Supporting Undocumented Students in Higher Education
Explore the challenges faced by undocumented students seeking education in the US, including barriers to financial aid and protection rights. Learn about key definitions, such as DACA and DREAMers, and how to engage with undocumented students sensitively. Discover pathways for undocumented students in higher education through the DREAM Act and state initiatives.
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Undocumented Students & How to Help Presenters: Barrington Armstrong, Coordinator for Student Development/PDSO Terri Fahnestock, Admissions Specialist/Transcript Evaluator Jordana Vera-Montero, Student Services Representative Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield, MO
Review of Undocumented Students Graduating seniors wishing to go to college In the US, an estimated 11.5 million undocumented immigrants (Hesse, 2017) Vast majority first-generation Estimated 65,000 graduate high schools each year Friends/Family insufficient for information Students don t realize they are different from peers In 2016, Missouri had more than 3,000 DACA recipients (American Immigration Council, n.d.) Cannot complete FAFSA Cannot apply for scholarships 63% of students eligible in Missouri applied for DACA status Cannot received A+ Are not protected by FERPA student privacy laws
Hesse asked what is a DACA student or DREAMer Majority of respondents answers revealed misunderstanding or confusion about the terms and policies AACRAO Feature Article 2017 Study found one respondent was unaware if she had ever met an undocumented individual Hesse explored admissions councilors knowledge of undocumented students within the Maryland s community college system Study found day-to-day protocols were non-existent How do you start a conversation with an undocumented student without making them feel uncomfortable? How do you ensure your questions as an admissions person isn t a form of macroaggression?
Key Definitions Visa Holders F1 traditional international students Any other valid/unexpired Visas Other common statuses Refugees and Asylum Proper documentation to show some type of legal status
Continue Review of Key Definitions Undocumented OTC Terms DREAMers Without a legal status or illegal immigrants Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM Act) Expired Visas Members of congress attempted to pass in 2001 no federal regulations Two major categories DREAMers and DACA States left to make their own pathways Undocumented children have access to K-12 education Not extended to higher education
Continue Review of Key Definitions DACA Students in the US by Percentage DACA Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 20% 2 year temporary protection against deportation & given work permit 2% 3% 3% 5% Some states (not Missouri) granted in-state tuition 67% Mexico Korea Guatemaia Honduras El Salvador Other Other category China, Colombia, India, Philippines, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Venezuela, Jamaica, Uruguay, Bolivia
Laws & Professional Licenses With no Federal guidance or laws regarding undocumented students, states are left to develop their own policies
Missouri House Bill No. 3 Unlawful Immigration Status or undocumented students are charged no less than out-of-state or international tuition rates (whichever is highest) Not eligible for scholarships Such as A+ Scholarship
Professional Licenses in Missouri Students completing certain programs unable to take the licensure exams Nursing Dental Hygiene Encourage students to research desired programs to ensure they can work after graduation States that allow licensures California New York
OTC Admissions Process Previous lack of direction.
Understanding tuition and cost Like other students helping students prepare for the cost of obtaining a higher education Provide information for outside scholarships Research Professional Licenses Advisor assistance to research degrees How to Help OTC taking measures to help undocumented and DACA students make a smoother transition to college Finding other states willing to grant undocumented students licenses Be realistic in their goals Figuring out the cost of the programs If there is a path to legal status (even if it s expensive) maybe the student s best interests to gain legal status Provide additional information/documents Creation of a separate documents track for Communication Management Documents sent by email and mail Mailed items bi-lingual Reach out from an advisor to help navigate the system
Building Resources for Staff & Students Non-U.S. Citizens Tuition & Fees Building resources on the website for easy access Allowable Attendence Required Documents B1/B2 Tourist International single class, non-degree seeking Visa, I-94 F-1 Student International Full-time only International Packet F-1 Visiting Student International Part-time only (<7 hrs) Visa, I-20, Coordination Form Answering common questions F-2 Dependent International Less than Full-time (<12hrs) Visa, Sponsor's I-20 J-1 International Not Authorized OTC has no exchange programs Providing resources such as outside scholarships H-1 International Non-degree seeking Visa, I-94 H-4 International Non-degree seeking Visa, I-94 K-1 International No restrictions Visa, I-94 K-2 International No restrictions Visa, I-94 Offering professional development across campus R-2 International No restrictions Visa, I-94 TN/TD International No restrictions Visa, I-94 T-1,2,3 International No restrictions Visa, I-94 Refugee or Asylee In-district* No restrictions Visa, I-94 TPS In-district* No restrictions Visa, I-94, TPS letter Permanent Resident In-district* No restrictions Permanent Resident Card DACA International No restrictions U.S. high school transcript, I-797 Undocumented International No restrictions U.S. high school transcript *Student must meet in-district residency criteria in accordance with OTC policy.
FERPA Issues FERPA only covers US citizens and US Permanent Residents Does not include international or undocumented students ICE Agents ICE Agent on campus Immigration and Customs Enforcement If an agent request more information than what is listed for public directory, refer the agent to the Registrar s Office Registrar ensure agent provides proper documentation such as a subpoena or court order to gain access to student s records
We want to stay here, we want to CONTRIBUTE, we want to make America better - Hina Naveed on DREAMers
Thank you for attending References American Immigration Council (n.d.) Immigrants in Missouri. Retrieved from https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-missouri Hesse, E. (2017). Recruiting undocumented students: A qualitative analysis of college admissions counselors experiences. College and University, 92(2), 2-11. Immigration enforcement (n.d.). Teman Training [Webinar]. Migration Policy Institute (2017). DACA- eligible populations and application rates by country of origin. Retrieved from https://www.migrationpolicy.org/ programs/data-hub/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-profiles
