The Urban Institute estimates that 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools each year. In most respects, these young people are already important members of our society. After completing an education in our primary schools, they envision their futures here and internalize American values. They also represent a considerable number of our population.
Rather than valuing them as important societal resources, current policies restrict their options and curb their potential. Without full legal rights, these graduates are barred from the very means that have ensured high levels of economic and social mobility to other immigrants throughout U.S. history. The undocumented students’ efforts to adapt and contribute economically are met with legal obstacles. Their situation is made even more difficult by confusing and conflicting laws that allow them to legally attend U.S. schools, but deny them opportunities to work, vote, receive financial aid, and drive in most states. This denial is enough to set them on a path of poverty and frustration.
A 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision entitles undocumented students to a free education from public K‐12 schools. However, neither Congress nor the courts have figured out what to do once these students decide to attend college. Most public universities classify undocumented youth as ‘international students’ and charge them three to seven times more in tuition. Given the limited economic resources of most undocumented high school graduates, the rising tuition rates and high overall cost of higher education are prohibitive. As a result, only a small fraction of these young people are able to pursue their education beyond the twelfth grade.
For most Americans, it is extremely difficult to afford a college education without financial aid, but undocumented students face even more obstacles. For them, the combination of limited family resources and exclusion from federal and state financial aid severely limits their ability to pursue higher education. Undocumented students cannot legally receive any federally funded student financial aid, including loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. U.S. laws also prohibit undocumented students from participating in many federally-funded programs designed to assist low‐income students.
At some point, doors stop opening altogether for these young men and women. Whether it is a series of blocked opportunities within the labor market or the end of educational opportunities, there comes a time when they run out of options. These moments contradict everything we teach in school and send a message that the dreams of the undocumented will not be realized and that all of their hard work was in vain.
This also means a significant loss of potential for the U.S. Without the incentive and means to continue their education, undocumented youth cannot afford higher learning, and the U.S. is losing out on their productivity, entrepreneurship, and creativity, as well as tax revenue from their potentially higher earnings. Providing viable pathways to legalization can help lift these young people out of poverty, integrate them into adult society, and give them opportunities to compete for financial aid and jobs.
They just need to pay taxes then they should have every right that american citizens do, simple as that.
STOP this madness! We should not be supporting the education of illegals in our schools. Let them return to their countries and be educated there. If they REALLY want an American education, there are many online options. If they want to come to the US legally, let them first be educated. We don’t need anymore ignorant illegals sucking the life (and education) out of our society. Let’s improve our education for the sake of US citizens.
What I want to know is whether there are significant obstacles for such “undocumented students” to become “documented” or legal. Either we should make it easier for good students to become legal immigrants, or we shouldn’t pay for their education at all. What we’re doing now is just wasteful.
What I am struggling with is..I have come to this site to find more information about immigration in an un-bias way. But it has truly should me how unrealistic Americans views are on immigration. Do they not understand the billions of dollars that our government is spending keeping out good, hard-working people who only want a better life? It’s a waist of money and resources.
Boo frickin hoo. Illegal is illegal no matter how you spin your story. These undocumented children shouldnt be in our educational system at all. Why do Americans or LEGAL immigrants have to show numerous documents, vaccinations etc to get into school, get any benefits etc. A highschool education is more than most will get in their respective countries to begin with. If I have to pay for my children to go to college. I have a daughter who works two jobs and goes to college. THAT is the American dream, not endless handouts for these “poor” ILLEGAL people to have the same access to things that we have. Come here legally like millions have done over the decades and you can access everything we have to offer. Until they do things the right way, I have no sympathy at all nor do many others. WE are SICK of demands for benefits when our own children are suffering and their future is at risk. Why cant my children get more scholarships, etc? Where are the groups standing up for my childrens rights to a higher education? I forgot that it is automatic since we are white, My ancestors came her legally, learned English and achieved a better life.
Sick of such ignorance! Go do some research and learn about the laws. Illegal does not mean immoral, lawless, worthless like you’re imposing. Illegal people are simply that, people. In fact, they’re made out of the same things you’re made out of; the difference would be the place where they were born and the label(”illegal”) they carry. ”Doing things the right way” is their wish, except for most it’s NOT a choice. What kind of risk is there to your daughter’s future? What is she suffering from? Honestly, I define suffering to be the poverty in designated countries where kids die from not having enough to eat and from HAVING to drink bad water. I define ”suffering” to be the denial of the basic human rights such as access to medicine, health care, family planning, and a decent education. These are the kids suffering. They grow up without having any expectations, much less the ability to dream, because they are aware of the vicious cycle they don’t have the ability to free themselves out of. I’m not saying they should all come America, but let’s define things as they should be. Your preoccupations are twisted due to the fact that they don’t exist. Illegal immigrants CAN’T get scholarships,and therefore are NOT stealing your daughters opportunities in life. They also CAN’T get your daughter’s future job, and are willing to pay taxes, and do things the right way if given the chance. Ever thought your kids aren’t getting enough scholarships because of the financial status of the country as a whole? While ignorance prevails, this country will always be the hipocritical land of the free. I have an idea, let’s solve your problem! Send them all back home and see how America does!
Wow Cindy . You said it all. Great piece of writing
I’m an american born citizen but human first and that was exactly what I was thinking
I just became a little bit stupider after reading some of these comments…ahem marilyn/betty. I just had a “is this real life?” moment. You try coming from a country with nothing to offer (no matter how hard you work), then heading to the USA looking for a better life and facing idiots like yourself. I was under the impression that illegals do everything in their power to become legal only to be shot down time after time…but I guess they get to sit back and relax and suck the life and education out of our society. Apparently there’s two lines at the super market, one for illegals who don’t pay sales taxes and one for legals who do. I guess when they rent space the land lords lower the rate because illegals don’t pay property taxes. Seems like when they open up bank accounts and take out loans the banks don’t make commission. I was under the impression illegals paid triple the price to go to college, but apparenty there are secret scholarships that give them a full ride and they don’t work several jobs and support up to 3 generations of family to get an education. WOW they have it gooooood.
1. Every illegal immigrant undermines the legitimacy of LEGAL immigrants, not to mention the legitimacy of natural-born citizens. If they refuse to respect this nation’s laws, why should we respect and even accomodate their arrogance? It is rude to break into someone’s home and demand that one be served and respected. Why should it be any different on a grand scale?
2. The “humanitarian” argument towards amnesty, immigration, and other such sentiments is contradictory, flawed, and one-sided. Are we to ignore that there are natural-born citizens here who are without medical care, food, and basic living supplies? Don’t fool yourself, suffering is all over the world. It makes no difference whether the suffering is in Mexico or in America; allowing people to roam around without borders is nothing short of an unofficial, permitted foreign invasion. These people ought to be deported immediately to their countries of national origin for their blatant disregard for US law. They have put themselves outside the law and therefore should recieve ZERO benefit for doing so. Should people be rewarded for breaking the law?
3. Illegal immigrants are actually betraying their own self-interest, as well as the interests and opportunities of their children, by not doing things the legal way. By stepping outside of the boundaries of law, they create more cultural and even racial resentment against themselves and others of their background. I think that people would view Mexicans far more favorably if they collectively disavowed border-hopping, drugs, and gangs. But as we can see, all of these things and more exist and further complicate the issue by tying it into crime, giving even more reasons to increase the pressure on illegal immigrants. Can the ordinary American make a distinction between gang members and law-abiding citizens, or between legal and illegal immigrants? Maybe, but it’s a difficult and arbitrary guessing game. The criminals use this as a clever camoflage, making their people look bad collectively because not enough of them are willing to stand up for the right things.
4. Truly, ALL immigration ought to be halted, if only temporarily, until the economic problems of this country are addressed. The financial strain, as well as the strain on employment, can not be afforded by anyone right now. There are too many people and not enough jobs; too many people and not enough resources for all. If we truly believe in democracy and the general welfare of the population, then we must view the people of this country as taking legal and social precedence over illegal immigrants. Also, each person who comes here and takes without giving back is effectively commiting theft on the population from the drain on social programs and hospitals.
5. Illegal immigrants are exploited politically by both the left and the right because they are here and nobody has the will to address the problems honestly and efficiently. The left sees them as easy votes, and the right sees them as easy votes (that is, for people who wish something to be done). Obama bought them off with his promises of the DREAM act, but never actually did anything to benefit latinos.
I’m a seventeen year old undocumented student that came to the U.S. at the age of three and it hurts to hear people say such hurtful and unthoughtful things. Don’t deny people that chance; don’t be so narrow minded, have a heart let US undocumented students have a chance to make our dreams a reality. Just to let the people that think that undocumented students get a full ride to college, ummm… that doesn’t occur very often, now, I’m a smart cookie and plan to go to medical school in the fall of 2013 undocumented and all, but with that I know that I’m going have to work hard in order to receive the money for the career of my choice. From my point of view it’s hard to get scholarships that’ll pay a full ride through medical school even if one has the grades, I personally have been offered some by the government since I was young, and every time I was turned down because I didn’t have a social security, it’s heartbreaking and sucks to be turned down for something you had no control over. KEEP EVERYTHING IN MIND BEFORE SAYING SOMETHING IGNORANT.
What would Jesus do?
“Hey, look who’s dead & wants to be part of my world!?! Oh, it looks here like you were a little racist and unbiased when you were living on earth. What makes you think you deserve to be let in my home now with such hatred? You’re not angel, you’re considered to be an “immigrant” in my eyes too? I created my all my children to be equal. What makes you a higher power to them? Because you have “legal status”, your “skin color”, cause you’re “more educated”, have “more wealth”? You will soon learn the difference of right from wrong. Your day will come….”