Rising Voices: College Opportunity and Choice Among Latina/o Undocumented Students

• In Event: 70.036 - Higher Education Access and Choice for Latino Students: Critical Findings and Theoretical Perspectives

Abstract

There are approximately 11 million undocumented youth living in the U.S., 9 percent of them are 18 years of age or younger and nearly two-thirds are of Mexican or Central American descent (Passel, 2011). Despite constant challenges, each year about ten to twenty percent of undocumented students decide to enroll in colleges and universities across the U.S. (Gonzales, 2007).
Using a social capital and intersectionality theoretical framework to analyze in-depth one-on-one interviews with 22 Latino undocumented AB 540 students, this paper contributes a more holistic understanding of undocumented Latino college opportunity by examining familial and institutional support processes for participants who began at different entry points of higher education: a community college and a four-year university. Specifically, the research questions for this chapter answered the following: 1) How do families and institutions support undocumented Latino students in their plight to pursue higher education? And 2) How can practitioners support these mechanisms to increase the number of undocumented students pursuing postsecondary education? Major themes include: 1) The importance of institutional agents; 2) The pivotal role of parents in the college support process; and 3) “Non-traditional” forms of support exercised by communities. Due to space limitations we highlight only theme #3 below.

“Non-traditional” forms of college-going support exercised in communities

One of the reasons why I’m still in school is because I want to fight for the rights as a human, not as a resident, or a citizen or an American, but as a human. I want to fight for the rights of achieving and allocating resources equally and that’s what I think is important. ~Felipe, university student

As marginalized students, Latino undocumented AB 540 participants were motivated to pursue higher education to improve conditions for other underserved populations and for the betterment of their communities. There was also a tremendous sense of civic responsibility voiced with regard to obtaining a degree to be able to advocate and represent other low-income, Latina/o immigrants. This notion to “give back” may have been an extension of the familial support system present in their respective communities. For example, both Carmen and Guadalupe shared that their mothers organized tandas, or money pools, amongst family, friends and neighbors, to make tuition payments when they were short on funds. Per Guadalupe, “we’ve got 20 people and 100 a piece, that’s some good money.” Carmen added, “that’s the way we’ve been doing it throughout all these years that I’ve been in school.” Unable to open a savings account, Carmen and Guadalupe’s community network pooled monetary resources to make it possible for them to continue pursuing higher education full-time and uninterrupted.
Undocumented students tend to begin their higher education journey at community colleges and public universities. To successfully enroll, retain, and graduate undocumented students and to prevent ongoing loss of intellect and civic talent, it is imperative that college administrators, counselors, and faculty understand the struggles these students face. Based on study findings practical and policy recommendations are provided.

Authors

• Patricia A. Perez, California State University - Fullerton

• James L. Rodríguez, California State University - Fullerton

• Josue Guadarrama, Washington State University