"Who They Focus on...It's Not Us": DACAmented Students Navigate Overlapping Policies in Texas

• In Event: Undocumented Youth and Education Across Contexts

Abstract

Objectives
In this paper, we explore how both the sociopolitical context of Texas shapes undocumented students’ experiences of school. Despite its history and geographic proximity to Mexico, Texas’ record on immigration is mixed. Texas recently led a coalition challenging the extension and continuation of DACA, as well as the implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program. Moreover, the state also implemented the Texas Senate Bill 4, an anti-immigrant bill that, among other things, allows police departments to engage in immigration enforcement. These actions break from a history of integrative policies, such as the initial 2001 tuition equity bill (SB 1403, and later SB 1528) that made Texas the first US state to allow undocumented students to attend post-secondary institutions at in-state rates and qualify for state funded financial aid.

Theoretical Framework
Central to our interest as sociologists is what narratives and unfamiliarity with policies convey about the social and educational context undocumented students navigate, their experiences, and the consequences in doing so. Thus, this work is situated within the framework of tectonic incorporation (Silver, 2018), which expands on the concept of place by considering the intersection of varied contexts (tectonic plates), such as family, friendship networks, community organizations, primary and secondary schools, local policies and law enforcement, college and university policies, state and national policies. Here, we present an exploration of the intersection of local, state, and federal political conservatism in the state of Texas.

Methods & Data Sources
We analyzed three in-depth interviews of DACA beneficiaries as part of a larger qualitative research project conducted in Texas during the summer of 2018. One of our respondents was enrolled in high school, one in community college, and the other in a four-year university. This approach allows us to analyze how the intersection of local, state, and federal political conservatism shapes many of the experiences of undocumented immigrant youth who entered adult transitions at differing levels of educational attainment.

Findings and Significance
The narratives of three DACA beneficiaries show different perspectives on how policies and school practices influence the lived experiences of undocumented students. Although these interviews were conducted 17 years after the Texas tuition equity bill was first implemented, their narratives suggest that many undocumented students are still cautioned about restrictions on their access rather than reminded of their entitlements.

All three participants’ educational experiences also exhibited several commonalities. In particular, these participants shared accounts of insufficient academic and institutional support and inadequate information about financial options available to undocumented students. Their narratives also reveal that the implementation of tuition equity bills was not translating into students’ and academic advisors’ awareness across contexts.

With this work, we complicate our understanding of undocumented youth’ educational trajectories as placed at the intersection of varied contexts. Thus, it brings to light the reality of some undocumented students in Texas and pushes us to think about better ways to reach this population with the support needed throughout their secondary and post-secondary careers.

Authors

• Carlos Aguilar, Harvard University

• Roberto G. Gonzales, Harvard University