Undocumented Students in the United States and College Access

• In Event: The Latino Student Journey to Higher Education

Abstract

Federal law prohibits states from allowing undocumented students to attend college and makes them ineligible for the federal financial aid that most students need to attend (Chapa, 2008; Kasarda, 2009; Olivas, 2009). The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 created explicit penalties for undocumented individuals who overstay visas or are in the country without authorization (IIRIRA 96, n.d.). In this paper, I describe: the educational circumstances of undocumented students who apply to college after high school; how opportunities in the United States depend on undocumented students’ state of residence; and the educational challenges that have been identified in research and policy-making discussions. The paper concludes with recommendations for practice to improve services to college-bound undocumented students.

Author

• Maricela Oliva, The University of Texas - San Antonio