Sacrificial Support: The Impact of Family on Undocumented Students' Educational Journeys

• In Event: Navigating Access and Opportunity: Examining Challenges, Resistance, and Possibilities of Undocumented Students' Success in California

Abstract

Objective/Purpose/ Theoretical Framework:
The purpose of this study is to learn more about undocumented students' educational experience using the ecological system theory who are enrolled at 4-year universities and the role that family plays in their persistence toward obtaining a college degree. Researching undocumented students using the ecological systems theory is important because it provides a comprehensive framework to understand the multifaceted influences on these students' lives. Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological system theory recognizes five levels of environment that influence human development. For this study, I focused on the microsystem and mesosystem levels of the ecological system.

Methods and data sources:
This qualitative study consisted of semi-structured interviews with eight undocumented undergraduate students attending a California State University (CSU). The main criteria for individuals to participate in the study were that they are undocumented students attending a CSU. In person-semi-structured open-ended interviews of approximately 1.5 hours were conducted following Maxwell’s methodology (2013).

Findings/Significance:
The ecological system model asserts how the microsystem is interconnected and influences the mesosystem. The findings demonstrate that the parents’ active role and encouragement in their children’s desire to attend college have a positive impact in their college development and attainment.

All participants reported their primary form of support is family, specifically their parents. The data revealed three themes related to the role of family in undocumented students’ pursuit of higher education. These parents engage in a range of supportive behaviors, including emotional, financial, and “legal,” which significantly influence the academic and personal development of undocumented students. The data also exposed that parents display a form of “apoyo sacrificial” or sacrificial support, where they prioritize their children's education over their own financial or personal needs. The concept of “apoyo sacrificial” was developed by Stephany Cuevas in 2021. All these students’ parents worked in their home countries, yet they faced different forms of hardship and poverty. Three of the participants’ parents are college graduates with professional careers. Yet, they experienced similar financial struggles as parents with no formal education, such as the inability to provide food, adequate housing, and education for their children. This was a unique result that the data exposed because, generally, higher educational attainment correlates with higher earnings (Baum, S. Ma, J. & Payea, K.; 2013). In some Latin American countries, the overall economic situation and employment market can be challenging, even for those with college degrees (ECLAC/ILO, 2013). In countries with high unemployment rates, even college graduates may find it difficult to secure well-paying jobs.

The role of parents in the lives of undocumented students is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of their educational journey. My study contributes to the growing body of scholarship on how family serves as an influential role in undocumented students’ lives as they pursue college. The findings underscore the need for educational institutions and policymakers to recognize and bolster the contributions of parents in order to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for undocumented students.

Author

• Joanna Flores, California State University - Los Angeles