Supporting DACA Students on College Campuses
As faculty, staff, and higher education administrators, we have a responsibility to support all students on our campuses and in our classrooms. Supporting all students is a vast responsibility, and at times can be very difficult for us because of the lack of resources, time, or training. We, as leaders in higher education, are in unique positions today in the United States because of the social, political, and legal environment that has been established since the 2016 presidential election. Each day, we work diligently to create a welcoming and safe environment on our campuses for all students who attend classes.
The controversial political topic of immigration reform is one that is influencing the ability of higher education professionals to focus on servicing students with DACA status academically, and successfully lead them to graduation. Therefore, in addition to the commonly accepted challenges to supporting college students, other elements are introduced when supporting DACA students on college campuses. These include dealing with the constraints of the social, political, and legal environment of the United States. Today, faculty and staff need to be informed about the updated legal immigration policies and programs, understand their campus policies regarding Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) should Homeland Security and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) visit their campuses, identify the latest on financial funding available to DACA students to help with tuition and fees, and have some basic understanding of how to provide this vulnerable student population mental and emotional support with empathy. In this article, I discuss the current state of the political/legal environment, support within higher education institutions today, and provide additional recommendations for campuses to support DACA students in the future.
The Current State of the Political/Legal Environment
In September 2017, President Trump rescinded the DACA program created by the Department of Homeland Security under the Obama administration, which provides undocumented individuals in the United States with an opportunity to apply for a two-year deferred action status. This status allows them to have a modified social security card and driver’s license, along with restricted benefits, including work authorization and the ability to remain in the United States without threat of their own deportations. The changes in this program could impact the almost 1.7 million DACA recipients, which is significantly a larger population than what is reported than the media.
During the past seven months, while awaiting action from the government, DACA students have been working within a system where two federal district judges have filed temporary injunctions on President Trump’s rescission of DACA, allowing renewals to proceed but no first-time candidates to apply. Also, these individuals witnessed President Trump’s drastic flip-flop on issues of immigration. For example, first, he stated that he would support any type of solution Congress would propose to replace the DACA program. But shortly thereafter, he added restrictions to his approval contingent upon the inclusion of other immigration-related items on his agenda, such as additional funding for the border wall. As of February 15, 2018, the US Senate has voted and failed to pass three separate bills related to the Dream Act, which would allow a path to citizenship for DACA students.
Higher Education Support for DACA students
In October 2017, 800 university presidents reaffirmed their roles as trusted allies for the DACA student population. These higher education leaders signed onto a prepared statement via the American Council on Education (ACE) that affirmed, “Despite the challenges they [DACA students and Dreamers] face, they have made incredible contributions to our country and its economy and security. They should continue to be able to do so. If we are unable to protect these Dreamers, we will be shutting the door to an entire generation of individuals who seek to contribute their best to America.” At the same time, a core of university and college presidents have taken a stronger, and controversial stand, and declared their campuses as sanctuary campuses, stating that they will not assist ICE in any investigations without court orders.
Other universities have demonstrated a commitment to DACA students with resource centers or staff dedicated to serving this student community on campus. These include Loyola University Chicago, Colorado State University, University of Texas — San Antonio, and one of the most popular with a comprehensive undocumented ally training and a faculty/staff program, the University of California, Berkeley. Through the use of a staff and faculty directory, an undocumented ally sticker project, or training program and events, staff and faculty get the support they need to create a safe and welcoming campus environment for this student population.
In addition, several initiatives have been underway to assist DACA students in renewing their DACA statuses, including a scholarship program funded by the Mission Asset Fund. Other universities, like Southern New Hampshire University, have teamed up with TheDream.US and the Shapiro Foundation to provide 1,000 DACA students free college educations over the next five years. By providing financial support to this vulnerable student population, these organizations and universities are helping students overcome a significant barrier to graduation.
Recommendations for Supporting DACA students on Campus
To support these students during this turbulent time, there are three different types of support that administrative staff and faculty can provide. I discuss each in turn below.
- Dedicate resources and secure commitments from higher education leaders. It is essential to have university administration and leadership demonstrate a strong sense of support for DACA students. The college and university presidents who have shown their support over the past six months have begun the process. Now the entire campus staff, from student services to financial services to faculty, need to be aware of what this student population is currently facing in the social, political, and legal context. All levels of employees at the college and university are in contact with these students on a daily basis, and many of them do not know it because of the nondisclosure rates. Faculty and staff must make more of an effort to develop stronger relationships with their students where a higher level of trust is established so students feel welcome, safe, and comfortable in seeking services and speaking freely when needing help. To develop these types of relationships, faculty and staff should be more informed and sensitive to the needs of this vulnerable population and approach the students with empathy.
- Find and educate DACA students about potential funding sources. College financial expenses and anxiety revolving around these expenses are barriers DACA students face when it comes to their higher education journey. In addition to the expenses a typical college student has, the students who have DACA are often trying to work with immigration attorneys on a permanent path to citizenship or are also raising funds for the renewal fee of $495. Faculty and staff need to have either a basic list of financial resources for DACA students, know where on the institution’s website such a list is located, or be aware of a physical center to send students to for comprehensive information. An example of a resource that should be on this list is TheDream.US, which is an organization that has already paid out over $30 million in scholarship awards, and has committed over $100 million to date. University financial services teams should be up to date with the information on how to access this type of scholarship funding and assist students with the applications to support them during this difficult time.
- Provide individual student support for mental health with empathy. Being a DACA student on campus during this tempestuous time can be very difficult because of the politically and racially charged discussions and protests that are happening on campuses nationwide. As college campus hate crimes increased in 2016, it is even more essential than ever that higher education professionals provide mental health support with empathy. While there is no solution today for campus administrators to prevent social stigmas, discrimination, and protests while protecting all student First Amendment rights simultaneously, it is the responsibility of the university to serve the students and provide them with support. Along with social stigmas and discrimination come the feelings of shame and guilt. To assist students in dealing with their feelings of guilt and shame, faculty and staff who are advisors for any clubs, organizations, or programs that have DACA students could be trained in a program with the Shame Resilience Model. This will help these students develop their identities more clearly with the support of trusted college staff, develop stronger and closer relationships between themselves and their faculty and close staff members, and understand themselves better as they work toward graduation.
A Call to Action for All Higher Education Faculty and Staff
I appreciate that you serve students at your campuses and nationwide and are committed to supporting students in achieving their goal of graduating with a degree from your higher education institution. I ask you this one question: What can you do to know more and support the DACA student population on your campus? This article hopefully gives you a place to begin, and allows you to share information with others on your campus so that you and your faculty and staff can support the DACA students in your classroom.
Maggie Dominguez, PhD, is a faculty member at the University of Phoenix and a member of the Diversity Scholars Network at the National Center for Institutional Diversity. She will be launching a podcast in December 2018 titled #SmashTheGlass, which will interview women who have gone beyond the limits, broken stereotypes, and succeeded in professional and academic settings. It will also highlight efforts of upcoming women leaders, what they are doing today, and what/how they are learning with mentors. The podcast’s mission is to provide women of all ethnicities and backgrounds with both experience and perspective, joining multiple levels of experience in order for all women to #SmashTheGlass and succeed in achieving all goals they set for themselves. For more information, please contact Dr. Maggie Dominguez at drdominguez@maggiedominguezphd.com.
