UCLA Institute on Immigrant Education Releases Seminal Report on Undocumented Undergrads

Nearly a quarter of a million undocumented undergraduates, who largely come from low-income families and work their way through college, are experiencing unique challenges and high levels of stress as they struggle to succeed in higher education, according to a UCLA study.

The report, “In the Shadows of the Ivory Tower: Undocumented Undergraduates and the Liminal State of Immigration Reform,” from the Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, surveyed 909 undocumented undergraduates across 34 states who emigrated from 55 different countries of origin; participants attended an array of two-year and four-year public and private colleges that range in selectivity.

The first and largest of its kind, the study presents a number of implications for policymakers, as well as colleges and universities. Findings from the study were presented on Jan. 26 at a meeting presented by the California Community Foundation in Los Angeles.

“This study provides a new and alarming picture of what undocumented college students are facing,” said Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, a co-principal investigator of the study and dean of UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. “The time has come for colleges and universities to unequivocally commit to supporting undocumented students as members of their campus communities. These students are studying and working hard and they long to belong. It is high time to fully embrace them. These new data suggest a blueprint for providing a safe environment in which they may learn and succeed.”

With 61.3 percent of undocumented students coming from families living on an annual household income of less than $30,000, 72.4 percent were working while attending college, taxing heavily their ability to succeed academically. More than half (56.7 percent) reported being “extremely concerned” about paying for their college education. Among students who reported stopping their studies temporarily, 73.9 percent indicated financial difficulties were the cause.

The study also found that more than three-quarters of participants reported worrying about being detained or deported. More than half (55.9 percent) indicated they personally know someone who has been deported, including a parent (5.7 percent) or a sibling (3.2 percent).

Perhaps most notably, the combination of financial hardship and fear of deportation have created a perfect storm of stress, as 28.5 percent of male and 36.7 percent of female participants were above a clinical cut-off level, in contrast to 4 percent and 9 percent of a norm population.

On average, participants had resided 14.8 years in the U.S. and in most cases the majority of their lives have been spent in the U.S. An overwhelming 90.4 percent of respondents reported they would become U.S. citizens if they could.

Finding safe harbor and support within a community of those who share similar backgrounds and circumstance, 73.1 percent of respondents reported making use of organizations, centers, or safe spaces to gather and share experiences with other undocumented students.

The report identified another source of support for respondents in the Federal Government’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which provides temporary lawful presence for undocumented youth and young adults, and was beneficial to some undocumented students relative to their financial stability and wellbeing.

“With DACA, more undocumented students are coming out of the shadows,” stated UCLA Professor Robert T. Teranishi, co-principal investigator of the study. “Higher education faculty and practitioners need to be aware of these students’ unique life circumstances and as well as more knowledgeable about resources on campus that can respond to their specific challenges and needs.”

DACA recipients were most likely to be female and attending four-year public and private colleges or universities. Nearly two-thirds (65.9 percent) of undocumented undergraduates applied for and received DACA. A strong majority (85.5 percent) of students with DACA reported it had a positive impact on their education.

Yet a higher proportion of DACA recipients (89.6 percent) than DACA non-recipients (70.8 percent) reported ongoing worries about the detentions of friends and family, which are correlated with higher levels of anxiety among DACA recipients.

Among respondents in the study, 48.2 percent attended four-year public colleges or universities, 42.4 percent were enrolled in two-year public colleges, and 9.4 percent attended private colleges.

A large majority – 67.6 percent – were first-generation college students (neither parent had attended college).

A full copy of “In the Shadows of the Ivory Tower: Undocumented Undergraduates and the Liminal State of Immigration Reform” (Robert T. Teranishi, Carola Suárez-Orozco, and Marcelo M. Suárez-Orozco, 2015) is available here.

Contact: Kathy Wyer, wyer@gseis.ucla.edu (310) 206-0513

For media coverage on “In the Shadows of the Ivory Tower: Undocumented Undergraduates and the Liminal State of Immigration Reform,” visit these links.

Robert T. Teranishi: Undocumented Undergrads Continue to Face Challenges
Quoted by Diverse Issues in Higher Education, January 25, 2015

Also: Undocumented and Stressed
Quoted by Inside Higher Ed, January 26, 2015

IGE: Report Shines a Light on Undocumented College Students in US
Featured on MSNBC.com, January 26, 2015

Marcelo Suárez-Orozco: Report Reveals “Homegrown Human Capital” of Undocumented US Students
Quoted on NBCNews.com, January 26, 2015

Carola Suárez-Orozco: Finances, Deportation Fears Add to Stress of Migrant College Students
Interview on KPCC-FM, January 27, 2015

Marcelo Suárez-Orozco: University migrants suffer more anxiety, study says
Quoted by Diario, January 27, 2015

Marcelo Suárez-Orozco: Migrant College Students Face More Stress Than Their Peers, Study Says
Quoted by The Los Angeles Times, January 27, 2015

IGE: Immigration Policy Poses Unique Challenge for Undocumented Undergrads

Marcelo Suárez-Orozco: Immigrant students have greater anxiety in EU, says study
Quoted by SinEmbargo.mx, January 27, 2015

IGE: Undocumented students with higher levels of stress: UCLA
Featured in NoticerosTelevisa.com, January 27, 2015

Marcelo Suárez-Orozco: Growing Anxiety Among Migrant Students in US Study

Robert Teranishi: Why US Colleges Should Welcome Undocumented Immigrants
Quoted in Quartz.com, January 29. 2015

IGE: UCLA survey reveals challenges faced by migrant college students

UCLA Study Reveals High Levels of Stress Among Undocumented Students
Featured in The Daily Bruin, January 30, 2015

Study: 90% of undocumented immigrant students want to become US citizens

Robert Teranishi: Why U.S. Colleges Should Welcome Undocumented Immigrants
Quoted by The Atlantic, January 31, 2015

Marcelo Suárez-Orozco: Deferrals Give Some Dreamers New Security