Running head: REIMAGINING THE PATH FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS 1

Reimaging the path for undocumented students in higher education

Diana Aguillon

Western Carolina University

REIMAGING THE PATH FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS 2

Reimaging the path for undocumented students in higher education

College is an opportunity for students to seek upward mobility. However, this is not the

reality for a large number of students, specifically, undocumented individuals. For

undocumented student success in higher education, campuses need to develop resources to help

support, guide, and mentor these individuals. Advocacy for undocumented students is essential,

yet a lack of resources are available from institutions of higher education. The indecision and

apprehension around this topic still remain for undocumented students (Crawford & Arnold,

2016). This paper will provide the working definition for being undocumented, retention

methods for our Latinx students, opportunities for leadership, and the role we play as student

affairs professionals. The goal of this paper is to help re-imagine the path for undocumented

students in higher education.

What it Means to be Undocumented

The term undocumented student means a student who is an immigrant to the United

States, particularly referring to young children that came to the USA with their parents and had

no say in the decision to move to the U.S. In the current national climate, there is a large amount

of insecurity in being undocumented. Many of these individuals do not feel free to express or

share their stories for fear of the consequences (Abrego, 2011). Their inability to be their

authentic self is directly related to their fear of deportation from sharing their status

(Gildersleeve, & Vigil, 2015; Raza, Saravia, & Katsiaficas, 2018). The stories DACA students

shared put their reality into perspective, yet every individual has a unique story to share.

Unfortunately, not every undocumented student fits into a category, and with that, it is essential

to recognize the challenges and continue to strive for a better future.

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Many undocumented students face financial burdens and lack of aid they can receive due

to being ineligible to receive State or Federal financial aid (Gonzales, Terriquez, & Ruszczyk,

2014). In 2012, former President Barak Obama passed DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood

Arrivals. With DACA status, many undocumented students can obtain a temporary social

security number, a driver’s license, and a two-year work permit (Gonzales et al., 2014). DACA

does not provide a pathway to citizenship, but it helps to improve economic mobility and

educational opportunities (Gonzales et al., 2014). However, financial issues remain since

students often disclose their DACA status during the financial aid process and are then unable to

seek financial support (Raza et al., 2018).

Retaining Latinx Students

The increasing number of Latinx enrollment in college needs to remain educators’

primary focus. With the creation of DACA, many Latinx students who did not have access to

institutions of higher education now have this opportunity. After receiving DACA, the number of

challenges seen after college around financial stability and social incorporation has reduced

(Gonzales et al., 2014). Once in higher education, Latinx students often develop a positive

outlook of themselves, and they begin to succeed and see potential in themselves (Hernandez,

2000). This positive outlook helps these students continue their education, and this is what we, as

student affairs professionals, seek for all our students within higher education. Providing students

with mentorship also help increase the positive views of themselves. Undocumented students are

affected by the campus climates, and if they fear deportation, many may choose to transfer

institutions (Hernandez, 2000). Additionally, undocumented students need help in seeing

potential in themselves, and as student affairs practitioners, we are the front lines to make this

happen.
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Additionally, Latinx students value family support, as this motivates them and leads to

retention (Hernandez, 2000; Torres, 2015). The family is fundamental to their success, and as

such, it should be a fundamental approach to retain these students especially through bilingual

items. As practitioners, we need to begin to have bilingual resources for families since they help

in the decision-making process (Hernandez & Lopez, 2004). Family participation is essential to

their success and an essential component in their college experience. By including their family in

the process, this will lead to a more solid foundation for creating strong Latinx leaders,

especially within undocumented students.

Latinx Leadership

Leadership comes in many forms, but often at institutions of learning, senior leadership

roles are held by white men (Rodriguez, 2016). Very few people in these positions look like

Latinx students, and this may hinder their view of becoming a leader. There is a limited amount

of Latinx individuals receiving graduate degrees, which affect the number of Latinx

administrators and faculty on campuses (Rodriguez, 2016). After years of seeing this, students

may become undetermined or lack self-motivation (Rodriguez, 2016).

As we begin to offer our undocumented students leadership opportunities, their

involvement in Latinx student organizations gives them a sense of belonging, and overall higher

satisfaction (Fischer, 2007). Through these organizations, having an advisor or mentor also helps

the students learn about advocacy. For example, Munoz and Escalante's (2015) research found

that an undocumented student, who was a political activist and educated on immigration, learned

about advocacy and began to share this with students. The students did not understand how

important this topic was, because the activist did not reveal his status. This demonstrates how
REIMAGING THE PATH FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS 5

one should continue to engage and be an activist even if undocumented. These students have a

lot to offer and giving them an opportunity through education is a great place to start.

The role of a Student Affairs Professional

Whether or not we as student affairs professionals see ourselves as advocates for

undocumented students, we should be informed about these students’ needs. As we recruit

students, acknowledging that undocumented students are here will help with the intentionality of

programming and services, and they will not fall under the radar (Gildersleeve & Ranero, 2010).

Understanding the culture of undocumented students and how they face challenges based on

their ethnicity is also important. Since Latinx students are the largest and fastest-growing

minority population within higher education, we need to be intentional in their engagement and

provide them with opportunities to become student leaders (Beatty, 2015). In supporting our

undocumented students, we also need to understand policies and how these could negatively

affect our students (Gildersleeve & Vigil, 2015). It is our task as student affairs professionals to

understand how to retain, support, and mentor these students. More importantly, undocumented

college students should not have to navigate their college experience with fear of negative

repercussions for attending college as an undocumented student (Beatty, 2015). They need our

utmost attention, as this is an important stepping stone for our industry.

Call for Action

As we continue to learn and provide support for undocumented students, we play a vital

role in the self-image and validation process of these students (Hernandez, 2000). As leaders, we

should recognize the needs and concerns they may face so we can better support them (Beatty,

2015). Our job is never done; we need to do research to learn about the issues to come

continuously. Something to consider is the idea of offering a unique orientation to our

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undocumented student, offering them a safe place from the start of their college experience

(Gildersleeve & Vigil, 2015). Essentially, we should provide and seek opportunities to mentor

these individuals and help them through their transition since many are first-generation college

students (Torres, 2015). It is critical for student affairs practitioners who work with first-

generation college students to understand that a title may not be enough to earn these students’

trust, and it must be developed for the student to feel comfortable asking questions and admitting

his or her vulnerability when not knowing what to do (Torres, 2015).

I challenge us to begin to reimagine the future of our undocumented students if we

provide them with a safe space, leadership opportunities, and mentorship. The future for these

individuals is something that student affairs professionals should consider knowing more about.

However, the future remains uncertain for DACA recipients, with many fearing that disclosure

of their status has placed them and their family at risk (Raza et al., 2018). Let us take this

opportunity to be that safe space where they can be their authentic selves and help reimagine the

path these students are forced to take within higher education.

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References

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to claims-making for first- and 1.5-generation immigrants. Law & Society Review, 45(2),

337-370. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5893.2011.00435.x

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Crawford, E. R., & Arnold, N. W. (2016). Exploring the meaning and paths of advocacy for

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