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This qualitative study examined the decision-making process of undocumented college students pursuing graduate degrees, and how their commitment to matriculate in higher education programs is shaped by a myriad of social, familial, financial, and institutional factors. This study drew on 2 years of ethnographic data from a sample of 20 undocumented graduate students. The authors used critical race theory and LatCrit in education as guiding frameworks. The findings revealed that family marginalization, guided pathways, and social activism inform student decisions to pursue graduate school. The article concluded with a discussion of implications and areas of future research on undocumented students pursuing a graduate education in a DACA context. Resumen Usando entrevistas profundas, este estudio cualitativo a través de dos instituciones en California examinó el proceso de decisión que lleva a estudiantes indocumentados a programas de post-grado. Hallazgos revelaron que las decisiones de estos estudiantes las influenciaron el permanecer como indocumentados, un compromiso a la justicia social, mementos críticos de la vida y la familia, así como un sistema de apoyo y mentoría. Usando la Teoría Crítica Racial, este estudio reveló que los procesos de decisión latina/o son formados por la forma particular que estos estudiantes son racializados como indocumentados.

Recently, we have witnessed three trends impacting educational experiences for undocumented Mexican students: (a) a dramatic increase of Mexican-origin people, (b) organized and openly supported anti-immigrant policies with a racial dimension, and (c) increased participation by politicized migrants in national public discussions on immigration. Still, there is little research on the educational outcomes of undocumented migrants. Through critical race theory (CRT), this study offers a quantitative intersectional approach that disaggregates the specific influence of gender, race, and citizenship on educational attainment. Our findings challenge traditional homogenizing narratives of the Chicana/o educational pipeline, calling for an intersectional examination of the nuanced educational experiences of people of Mexican origin (POMO).

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