Undocumented Undergraduates on College Campuses: Understanding Their Challenges and Assets and What It Takes to Make an Undocufriendly Campus

This study investigates the experiences of undocumented undergraduate students across a diverse range of US higher education institutions. Using an ecological framework that accounts for both risk and resilience, the authors examine how the hostile and ambiguous national policy landscape shapes the educational trajectories of these students. By analyzing data from a national survey of 909 undocumented undergraduates, the researchers identify the primary challenges these students face and the institutional assets that facilitate their academic success.

Undocumented students navigate a complex set of obstacles, including being first-generation college students, managing limited financial resources due to exclusion from federal aid, and experiencing high levels of anxiety related to the threat of deportation for themselves or their families. Despite these stressors, the participants demonstrate remarkable academic resilience and high levels of civic engagement. The study highlights that these students are not merely passive recipients of their environment; they actively seek out and create resources to navigate their educational paths.

Based on student perspectives, the authors outline what constitutes an undocufriendly campus. Key recommendations include:

• Institutional Awareness: Administrators and staff must be educated on the specific needs, legal realities, and socio-emotional challenges faced by undocumented students.
• Targeted Support: Campuses should provide accessible information, culturally responsive mental health counseling, and financial guidance.
• Safe Spaces and Advocacy: Establishing designated safe spaces and identifying 'undocu-allies' among faculty and staff are essential for fostering a sense of belonging and safety.
• Public Endorsement: Students emphasize the need for institutions to move beyond private support and take a public stance in advocating for the rights and inclusion of undocumented students.