Immigration and

Undocumented
College Students

By Jade Pearson

Adapted from A. Lopez, R.

Martinez, M. Perez, N. Tran
What is undocumented?
Undocumented individuals are those who
entered the United States without
inspection or overstayed their visas and
are present in the United States.

Christopher Y., personal interview, July 24, 2019

Definitions
Immigrant: a person who comes to live
permanently in a foreign country

Refugee: a person who flees their country to

escape danger or persecution

Asylee: a person who requests political protection

after already reaching the country of destination.
Asylum
Asylum is a fundamental right in U.S. law

● Stems from the 1951 Refugee

Convention, which was the world’s
response to the Holocaust.
U.S. Southern Border Asylees
● Guatemala
● El Salvador
● Honduras

These countries make up 55% of all of the pending immigration

court cases.
CA Demographics, 2012 - 2016

Adapted from Migration Policy Institute

Undocumented College Students in
California

● More than a quarter of adult immigrants had a college degree or more

education in 2015, while over a third had less than a high school diploma.

Adapted from American Immigration Council, 2018.

Barriers
● Barrier: A circumstance or obstacle
that keeps people or things apart or
prevents communication or progress.

● These barriers may be physical,

societal, and psychological.
College DACA Recipients
According to the Migration Policy Institute, 200,150 people have received DACA status as of August
2018.

Enrollments at the state’s public colleges and

universities in California

Community Colleges 60,000

Cal State 8,300

UC 4,000

Total Estimate 72,300

Gordon, 2017.
College DACA Recipients
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
1) Temporary protection from deportation
2) Work permit. Program expires after 2 years; subject to renewal

● Eligibility Requirements
● USCIS began accepting applications for DACA program Aug. 15, 2012
● Sept. 5, 2017 DHS announced phase out of DACA

Adapted from U.S. Immigration. (n.d.)

Example #1 Kelly
College Non-DACA Recipients
● Students who are not eligible for DACA face more challenges compared to their
DACA recipient counterparts.
● Non-DACA recipients have limited vocational and occupational choice because
of their legal status.
● They legally cannot work.

Autin, et al., 2018.

College Non-DACA Recipients
How Non-DACA recipients can work or gain experience:

● Unpaid Internships
● As independent contractors with an Individual Taxpayer Identification
Numbers (ITIN).
● Considering starting their own business
● Paid “Under the Table”
● Paid through scholarships (created by their employers)

Educators for Fair Consideration. (n.d.)

Example #2 - Carla
Social and Psychological Impact
● Decreased self-efficacy
● Negative feelings such as shame, guilt, anxiety
● Constantly worried about deportation or detention
● Afraid to seek counseling
● Family and cultural values

Kantamneni et al., 2016

Mulhere, 2015
Undocumented Student Workers
● Many ask the employer for the opportunity to open up an unpaid internship to
gain work experience

● Work as an independent contractor

● Consider starting their own business by obtaining or having a Limited Liability

Company (LLC)

● Receive a legal screening from a Lawyer who practices and handles immigration
cases
How We Can Help
● Understanding and acknowledging the
person’s reality
● Educating ourselves on the policies and
legal issues
● Being an advocate for people and their
human rights
Resources for Undocumented Students

● EOP Dream Center

● Student Legal Support Clinic
● University Counseling Services
● National Immigration Law Center
● Immigrants Rising
Questions?
References
American Immigration Council. (2018, May 09). Immigrants in California. Retrieved from July 25, 2019, from
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/research/immigrants-in-california

Autin, K. L., Duffy, R. D., Jacobson, C. J., Dosani, K. M., Barker, D., & Bott, E. M. (2018). Career development among undocumented
immigrant young adults: A psychology of working perspective. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(5).
doi:10.1037/cou0000280

Educators for Fair Consideration. (n.d.). Life after college: A guide for undocumented students [PDF File]. Retrieved from
http://www.smc.edu/StudentServices/CareerServicesCenter/Documents/LifeAfterCollegeGuide.pdf

Gonzales, R. G. (2016). DACA at Year Three: Challenges and Opportunities in Accessing Higher Education and Employment.
Retrieved from
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/daca-year-three-challenges-and-opportunities-accessing-higher-education
-and-employment

Gordon, L. (2018, January 23). Understanding DACA and education in California: A quick guide. EdSource.
Retrieved from https://edsource.org/2017/understanding-daca-and-education-in-california-a-quick-guide/586829
References
Kantamneni, N., Dharmalingam, K., Tate, J. M., Perlman, B. L., Majmudar, C. R., & Shada, N. (2016).
DREAMing Big. Journal of Career Development, 43(6). doi:10.1177/0894845316633527

Mulhere, K. (2015). Study finds undocumented colleges students face unique challenges. Inside Higher Ed.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/26/study-finds-undocumented-colleges-students-face-unique-challenges

Sharf, R. S. (2013). Applying Career Development Theory to Counseling (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole, Cengage Learning.

U.S. Immigration. (n.d.). DACA Definition. Retrieved from https://www.usimmigration.org/glossary/daca

Yik C. (2019, July 24). Personal Interview.