In the next 20 years, undocumented students will make up a greater proportion of American high school students and be considering what to do after graduation. For some students, entry level jobs or staying at home to support their families will be ideal pathways after high school graduation. However, a larger number of undocumented students will be looking to college as an opportunity to create better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. College can provide an opportunity to pursue high paying careers that would have been otherwise unavailable such as business, engineering, or law. These careers could provide an opportunity for students to invest in their local communities and pay taxes towards the government. However, the price of these institutions still proves to be prohibitively expensive for undocumented students coming from low income families. Given that undocumented students are ineligible for national financial aid and will make up a larger proportion of students in the future, it is in the United States’ best interest to create a financially viable pathway to higher education for undocumented students.
Southwestern states will most likely house the largest proportion of undocumented students due to immigration from Mexico and Central America. As a result, a coalition of southwestern states working together to create a financially accessible pathway may be helpful. These types of coalitions can help ensure that efforts are not duplicated, best practices are shared, and states facing similar issues can create a centralized approach to this vulnerable population. A coalition of Colorado, California, Texas, New Mexico, and Nevada would be effective because each of these states has passed legislation to allow for in-state tuition for undocumented students and has recognized the problem at hand. These states are aware of the growing undocumented student population and want to work within their governments to make college a more viable option for these students. A coalition could improve these efforts.
Furthermore, states should take steps to create state applications for financial aid that serve as alternatives to Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Creating a state application for financial aid will create a tangible, consistent pathway for students to apply for aid without asking them for their immigration status. For example, the California Student Aid Commission does not ask undocumented students them for their immigration status, but officials do track the number of students who receive the state’s nonresident tuition exemption, which allows undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates and fees. By creating a centralized source of financial aid, states can ensure the pathway to college is easier to navigate. These applications could also be helpful because students would not have to report their immigration status or put their families at risk of being searched. As a result, states are able to track students and their financial needs without putting them at risk and potentially incentivizing more students to apply for more aid. Ultimately, a pathway that can balance the needs of the state and the students will be most effective in order to make college a reality as opposed to a distant dream.
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