Undocumented Students

John (Da Man) & Alondra (Da Woman)

Our personal interest

Story time.

Brief History of Undocumented Students

Myths

Entire family is also undocumented

From Mexico
Do not know English very well
In U.S. by choice
Uneducated
Lazy
Cannot be successful
Cannot have a job
Were raised in country of origin (The mutha land)
Illegal immigrant/alien*

So, Where do these students come from?

Reality
Its really hard
More than just students of Hispanic/Latino descent
Students can be successful
There is a struggle with motivation due to their status
In-between identity in society
Liminal citizenship
Fear of deportation
Sometimes do not have memories of country of origin
Immigrants are suspended in a state of permanent temporariness or legal limbo precariously
straddling realms of legality and illegality. Their ambivalent legal position, particularly the prolonged
states of uncertainty and long-term marginality they experience, affects their opportunities, goals,
perceptions, and plans, often steering them and their children away from higher education
~Torres and Wicks-Asburn, p. 197

Before we go on, here is some terminology

What does WIU do?

Admissions office
-Merit Based/Western commitment Scholarship
-According to Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling
WIU recognizes that Undocumented Students
are applying
Undocumented Students and Allies Coalition

Coming Out of the Shadows In progress as we speak...

HB60 & The IL DREAM Act

IL DREAM Act
HB60
HB60 was passed in 2003.
It means eligible undocumented students
can qualify for in-state tuition.
To be eligible they must have:
1) resided in Illinois while in high school in
Illinois
2) graduated from HS or received a GED
3) attended school in Illinois for at least
three years prior to graduation
4) if not a permanent resident/citizen of the
US, the individual must fill out an affidavit
stating that they will file paperwork to
become a permanent resident as soon as
they are eligible.

This legislation makes Illinois the first state in the country to

create a private scholarship fund for undocumented youth.
Signed into law by Governor Patt Quinn on August 1, 2011, the
legislation do the following things: :
1)
Allows anyone with a taxpayer number to participate in
the State Treasurers College Savings Pool and the
Illinois Prepaid Tuition plan.
2)
High school counselors are required to be better trained
on what options there are for undocumented students
and children of immigrants
3)
Requires the IL Student Assistance Commission to
establish an Illinois DREAM Fund commission that will
oversee the Acts provisions. This will be the people
that oversee the fundraising, establishing, publicizing
and administering scholarships for qualified students,
and researching educational opportunities for immigrant
youth
To qualify you must have 1) resided with parents/guardians
while attending highschool in Illinois; 2) attended for three
years prior to GED or graduation 3) have at least one parent
who immigrated to the U.S.

Coming out of the Shadows

What are other schools are doing?

Loyola University

Dominican University

Resources

Undocumented Students and Allies Coalition

Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Immigrant Youth Justice League
National Association for College Admission Counseling
United We Dream

How can we be supportive and be a resource and ally for

these students?

Understanding terminology (Difference illegal and undocumented)

Know relevant policies and legislation
Be familiar with scholarships that do not require citizenship
Identify role models such as other undocumented students/allies
Involve parents in order to understand value of higher education
Instill agency by providing a safe space
Acknowledge their hardship and successes
Collaborate with other offices (i.e. counseling center, Multicultural
Centers, social justice oriented groups)

Final Remarks

References
College Uncomplicated. (2014, September 11). UndocU / A Brief History of the Undocumented Movement [Video file]. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r8uk_M7nmw&index=5&list=PL15T301hC7MMfWTzHHK8edNBCHSid6Y_3
Frum, J.L. (2007). Postsecondary Educational Access for Undocumented Students: Opportunities and Constraints. American
Academic, 3; 81-108
Gonzales, R.G. (2009). Young Lives on Hold: The College Dreams of Undocumented Students. CollegeBoard Advocacy. Retrieved
from: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/young-lives-on-hold-college- board.pdf
Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC). (2015) Western Illinois University. Retrieved from:
http://www.iacac.org/undocumented/western-illinois-university/
Illinois Association for College Admission. (n.d.) University President Statement in favor of the DREAM Act Why We Support
the DREAM Act. Retrieved from: http://luc.edu/media/lucedu/diversity/pdfs/Illinois-univ-presidents-DREAMstatement.pdf
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (n.d) IL Dream Act. Retrieved from:
http://www.icirr.org/sites/default/files/ILDreamActStudentGuideFINAL.pdf
Olivas, M.A. (2008). Colleges and Undocumented Students. Change. p20-21
Perez, W. (2010). Higher Education Access for Undocumented Students: Recommendations for Counseling Professionals. Journal
of College Admission.
Baker, B., Rytina, N. (2013). Estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population residing in the united states: January 2012.
Population Estimates. (pp. 1-8)

Mo References
Gilbert, A. (2014). Why Undocumented Students Still matter. Journal Of College Admission, (223), 51-52.

Torres. R.M., & Wicks-Asburn, M. (2014). Undocumented Students Narratives of Liminal Citizenship: High Aspirations,
Exclusion, and In-Between Identities. Professional Geographer, 66(2). 195-204.
WHO WE ARE. (2014). Retrieved May 6, 2015 from http://www.iyjl.org/whoweare/
Nunez, A, & Sansone, V. (2013). Americans by Heart: Undocumented Latino Students and the Promise of Higher Education.
Review Of Higher Education, 37(1), 124-126.