Strategic Inclusion: Interest Convergence in Higher Education Policy for Immigrant Students

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  In Roundtable Session: Immigrant Students and Intersectional Inequality

Abstract

This paper examines California’s Assembly Bills 540, 130, and 131, which aim to improve access to higher education and financial aid for immigrant students. Using Critical Race Theory and Critical Policy Analysis, the study analyzes legislative texts and committee reports. Findings indicate that these policies exemplify interest convergence, advancing California’s economic and political interests while providing limited support for immigrant students. As of 2023, approximately two percent of undocumented students are enrolled in higher education (President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, 2023). These findings highlight the need to interrogate equity-oriented bills and challenge the mechanisms that perpetuate structural exclusion. Policymakers should ensure that future legislation not only appears progressive but also actively dismantles structural barriers for immigrant students.

Author

• Deyaneira Daniza Chic, University of California - Berkeley