AMERICANS BY HEART: UNDOCUMENTED LATINO STUDENTS AND THE PROMISE OF HIGHER EDUCATION William Perez, Ph.D. Iliana Perez Claremont Graduate University

Undocumented Students • 3.2 million undocumented children

& young adults under the age of 24 • 1.5 million enrolled in grades K-12

65,000 high school graduates/yr

Historical & Legal context • In Plyler v. Doe (1982) the Supreme

Court ruled that undocumented children must be provided with a public education.

3

Uncertain Outlook • Extreme challenges after high school:

• Do not qualify for federal financial aid • They can not legally work • They may be deported at any time

4

Higher Education Access

American Identity

• Arrived in the U.S. before schooling age

• Bilingual, but English Language Dominant

6

Undocumented Students • Immigrated before schooling age

• Have lived most of their lives in U.S.

• Low socioeconomic status • Parents with low educational levels • Work part-time jobs to assist

family/pay for college costs

• Attend low-performing schools

College-going Students • High achievement levels • High civic engagement

beginning in elementary school • Extracurricular participation • Leadership roles • Increasing activism over time

• Most begin higher education via the community college system

Professional Aspirations of Undocumented Students

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

Professional Aspirations

DoctorLawyerCollege professorK-12 EducatorCivil Service

Talent Loss • Among those prevented from

working legally or continuing on to higher education are: • valedictorians • honors students • academic and athletic award winners • other student leaders

Emotional Concerns • Undocumented students express:

• Fear of deportation • Loneliness • Depression • Frustration • Helplessness • Shame • Sense of isolation

Shame & Fear: School Personnel Perspective

• “There’s a lot of either shame or guilt in using services because…how other people view them is how they’ve internalized viewing themselves, that they shouldn’t even be getting any services because they’re undocumented and have no right to these kinds of services” • Rick, Academic Affairs Professional

Shame & Fear: School Personnel Perspective

• “They are fearful that they can’t trust anyone or that anyone can understand them. I’m sure that it can go as deep as students being depressed…they’re also dealing with the law and this is a constant fear…Am I going to be deported? Do I have to worry about my family being deported?”…they don’t feel permanent…any day it’s possible that things can change” • John, Academic Counselor

Shame & Fear: School Personnel Perspective

• “A lot of students feel that they do not belong just because…of their status…also they’re a little apprehensive and afraid to disclose their status to others…Some of the parents are afraid that if their students go to school, somehow they will find out that they do not have documents” • Dennis, School Relations Coordinator

Anti-immigrant Sentiment: School Personnel Perspective

• “They’re dealing with racism…hearing their professors talking about supporting the bill in Arizona or, ‘being against illegal immigration.’ It might not necessarily be specifically directed at them…the teacher’s not necessarily sitting in front of them saying, ‘You,’ but making…general statements …on a daily basis where they have to deal with racism in their face” • John, Academic Counselor

Family and Teacher Support • Relationships with educators are

particularly important sources of information and guidance

• Parental support is also very important

Civic Engagement • Despite marginalization,

undocumented students demonstrate a strong commitment to civic participation • They channel their feelings of

exclusion into political mobilization, activism, advocacy and service

Optimism and perseverance • Although they recognize

obstacles related to their status, undocumented students still express a high level of optimism and perseverance

College Choice Driven by Financial Concerns

• Financial challenges are the most frequently cited obstacles

• Community colleges are an important gateway to higher education due to affordable tuition

Lack of Institutional Support • Resources are often obtained

through undocumented peers and not from institutional agents

• Undocumented students piece together available resources to meet their educational goals • The haphazard and uneven process

structures the tenuous possibility of successfully patching together necessary resources

Policy Change Arenas • Federal policy • State policy • Institutional policy

• Scholarship/financial assistance • Student outreach and education

The Dream Act • Would provide conditional

permanent residence to students who are long term residents, and pursue a college or enlist in the military

• Eligibility criteria include: • Came to the U.S. before the age of 15 • Reside in the U.S. at least five years

Support for DREAM Act • National Association for College

Admissions Counseling (NACAC) • American Association of State

Colleges and Universities (AASCU) • National PTA • California Federation of Teachers • AFL-CIO • National Education Association • Microsoft Corporation • The College Board

State Legislation • Since 2001, 12 states have

passed in-state tuition laws • Texas • California • Utah • Washington • New York • Oklahoma • Illinois • Kansas • New Mexico • Nebraska • Connecticut • Rhode Island

State Financial Aid • Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, and

California have passed legislation that allows undocumented students to receive state funding for college tuition

Funding For Undocumented Students at Private Colleges Harvard University Stanford University Pomona College Occidental College Pitzer College Loyola Marymount Chapman University Santa Clara University George Fox University Brown University Yale University Columbia University Princeton University Dartmouth College Lafayette College Davidson College

Franklin and Marshall College George Mason University Mount Holyoke College Northwestern University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Claremont McKenna College California Institute of Technology Washington University, St. Louis University of Puget Sound Haverford University Wesleyan University Swarthmore College Harvey Mudd College University of Pennsylvania Willamette University Marymount College

Kenyon College Vassar College Mills College Reed College Williams College Whitman College Grinnell College Carleton College Oberlin College Amherst College Bard College Bates College Bowdoin College Cornell University Bryn Mawr College Hampshire College

Institutional Funding at Public Colleges & Universities

• Santa Monica City College • Book voucher programs and reserves

textbooks in the library

• Glendale City College • Faculty/staff have the option of a

monthly deduction from their paycheck for AB540 scholarship fund

• Santa Ana College • Institutional scholarships that do not

exclude undocumented students

Intervention Opportunities • High School outreach and coordination • Financial aid from non-government sources • Institutional funding for undocumented student organizations • Examine and modify administrative procedures that may inadvertently

stigmatize undocumented students • Dissemination of information on resources for undocumented students • Educating faculty, staff, administrators • Provision of specialized social and psychological support services • Coordination with 4-year universities to support higher transfer rates

Dissemination of Information to Students

• Dissemination of information (print/online)

• Strategic placement of print information resources • Counseling office • Admissions office • Financial aid office • Student affairs • Scholarship office • Library

Educating Personnel • Administrators, faculty, and counselors need to be informed about

undocumented students and the educational challenges they face • Develop workshops for staff, faculty, and administrators to educate them about

undocumented students • Provide historical and legal context • Provide current information on recent/pending legislation at the state/federal level • Provide concrete procedures on how to better serve undocumented students

Formerly Undocumented Name Highest Degree Current Professional Status

1. Ramon Ph.D. College Professor

2. Nicole Ph.D. Educator

3. Jessica J.D. Civil Rights lawyer

4. Ignacio M.A. Elementary school teacher/Ph.D. student in education

5. Isidro M.A. High school counselor/Ph.D. student in education

6. Jocelyn M.A. Ph.D. student in Spanish & Cultural Studies

7. Luz MA. Elementary school teacher/Ph.D. student in education

8. Monica M.S.W. Social Worker

9. Mabel M.A. Research Associate

10. Nadia M.A. Teacher

11. Julia B.A. Ph.D. student in Engineering

12. Silvia B.A. Ph.D. student in clinical psychology

13. Miriam B.A. Ph.D. student

14. Raquel B.A. Ph.D. student

15. Moises B.A. Law School Student

16. Natalia B.A. Training Specialist

LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: A GUIDE FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS Iliana G. Perez Claremont Graduate University

Life After College • Published by Educators for Fair

Consideration (E4FC): • Going to Graduate School and

Professional School • Types of Professional Schools • Internships • Earning a Living • Going Abroad • Exploring Your Immigration Remedies • Staying Motivated: Emotional Health

Graduate School • Graduate School vs.

Professional School • Deciding which graduate or

professional school to attend • Private vs. Public • Paying for Graduate

School/Professional School

Types of Professional Schools

• Business School • Medical School • Public Health • Nursing • Engineering • Law School • Social Work • Education

Internships • Importance • Internship Types • Talking about immigration status • Strategic Networking

• “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”

• Interview skills

Earning a living • Working as an independent

contractor • Sole Proprietor • LLC/Worker Cooperative

Recap of Work Requirements Full-Time Employee Independent Contractor Co-Owner of LLC

Personal Information Required

Name, Address, SSN, statement about whether you are a U.S. citizen, noncitizen national of the U.S., lawful permanent resident or an alien authorized to work.

Name, Address, SSN or ITIN None (All members may use the LLC EIN)

Government Forms

I-9, W-2 W-9, 1099, Form 1040 Form 8832 for classification of LLC, Form 1065 for LLC partnership, Form 1120 for LLC Corporation

Taxes Employer withholds income tax, social security tax and medicare tax from each paycheck. Employee must file income tax return and pay federal income tax.

Contractors must pay self-employment and income tax, file an income tax return for earnings over $400 and pay federal income tax based on net income.

LLC pays $800/ year minimum franchise tax + annual fee based on total income. Co-owners must pay income tax based on earnings from LLC.

Startup Costs

None Contractor pays $35 for fictitious name registration with county and $10 for business license (in California).

LLC pays $70 for Articles of Organization + attorney fees for filing and creating an agreement (in California).

Going Abroad • Consult an immigration attorney • Do research on the country

where you plan to reside • Investigate possible ways of re-

entering the U.S. • Risks

• 10-year bar

Immigration Remedies • DREAM Act • Family Based petitions • U-Visas • Spousal based petition • Employment based petition • Student Visas • DACA

If you or someone you know would benefit from the Legal Services, you can fill out an online intake form at www.e4fc.org/legalservices.html.

H1-B Visas • What is an H-1B? • Process

• D-3 waiver

• Things to Consider • Personalized consultation with a

licensed immigration attorney • This is a short-term solution • Develop relationships with potential

employers

For more information, please visit: www.curranberger.com.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

• Work authorization for two years • possibility to renew after the two years

• Temporary relief from deportation • NOT the DREAM Act • NOT a permanent solution

For more information, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/

DACA Requirements • Under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 • Came to the United States before reaching 16th birthday • Continuous residence in the U.S. since June 15, 2007

• Physically present in the U.S. on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making DACA request with USCIS;

• Entered without inspection before June 15, 2012, or lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012;

• Currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States

• Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

Emotional Health: Challenges • Leaving College • Questioning Self-Worth • Financial Freedom • Putting Up a Front • Living in the Shadows

Emotional Health: Turning Points • Family and friends • Finding a local immigration support group • Mentoring/Tutoring • The Power of Storytelling • Finding Your Motivational Pillar • Creating Opportunities for Yourself • Exercising the Mind and Body • Seeking professional Help

Additional Resources • California Dream Network • United We Dream • CHIRLA • National Immigration Law Center • Educators for Fair Consideration • Dream Team Los Angeles • Orange County Dream Team • Dreamactivist.org • UCLA Labor Center • Dream Resource Center • California Dream Team Alliance • CaliforniaDreamAct.org • AB540.org • US Citizenship & Immigration Services

• Customer Service: 800-375-5283 or 800-767-1833 • http://www.uscis.gov/

Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education • DREAMING BIG: What Community Colleges Can Do to Help

Undocumented Immigrant Youth Achieve Their Potential • What Community College Can Do: Recommendations and Promising Practices

• Increase College Access • Make College Affordable • Support College Readiness and Success • Offer Alternatives for Adult Learners • Improve College Retention and Completion

Scholarships • http://www.csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp • http://www.dreamresourcecenter.org/scholarships.html • http://www.fullerton.edu/ab540/scholarships.html • http://www.cadta.org/apps/documents/ • https://www.maldef.org/assets/pdf/Scholarship_List_2010_2011.pdf • http://www.zoomz.net/page/ab540-scholarships • http://e4fc.org/resources/scholarshiplists.html

For More Information William.Perez@cgu.edu williamperezphd.com facebook.com/drwilliamperez twitter.com/williamperezphd youtube.com/williamperezphd linkedin.com/in/williamperezphd