Undocumented Student Allies and Transformative Resistance: An Ethnographic Case Study

Undocumented Students and Strategic Enrollment Management: Guidance and Considerations for Finance, Policy, and Inclusive Practice

“…Chen and Rhoads () note that the only certainty facing undocumented students is the uncertainty of their educational opportunities. Research has shown that providing needed support, advice, and information to these students can help remove barriers to access (Burkhardt et al, ; Frum, 2007; Gildersleeve, ; Perez, ).…”

“…Because reliance is placed upon local discretion in terms of interpreting law and policy, this can and often does result in limited if any support for this underserved population. Moreover, federal and state legislation has been slow to respond to the needs of these students and their communities in terms of not only education but their right to be part of society (Abrego & Gonzales, ; Chen & Rhoads, ; Gonzales, , ; Nguyen & Serna, ; Olivas, , ; Teranishi, Suarez‐Orozco, Suarez‐Orozco, & Associates, ). Because there are over 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States (Passel & Cohn, ), of whom over 65,000 graduate from high schools each year (Gonzales, ; Passel, ), this is clearly a subject that ought to matter to campus leaders and SEM professionals.…”

“…Evident in the undocumented student literature are the hurdles these students face when attempting to access higher education (Abrego & Gonzales, ; Chen & Rhoads, ; Chin & Juhn, ; Flores, , ; Garcia & Tierney, ; Nguyen & Serna, ; Olivas, ; Teranishi et al, ). In many instances, state and federal financial aid are not options for undocumented students (Cohen, ; Gildersleeve, ; Perez, ).…”

“…While federal or state DREAM Acts would be ideal, the reality is that this may still be a long way off. Hence, the importance of institutional or system‐wide policy decisions (Chen & Rhoads, ).…”

Undocumented Students at the Community College: Creating Institutional Capacity

“…As undocumented students become more represented on college campuses, there is a growing need to establish appropriate institutional practices to support them. Community colleges serve as the primary gateway to higher education for undocumented students due to the significant savings in tuition costs and the flexibility in enrollment options, yet few studies have examined how institutions can build capacity to support undocumented student enrollment, retention, and academic success (e.g., Chen, ). The unfair treatment of undocumented immigrants in their pursuit of higher education is well documented in prior research and thus will not be addressed in depth in this chapter (e.g., Pérez, , ).…”