HOW TO SUPPORT UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTs

1. HOW TO SUPPORT UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTs ADVICE FOR COUNSELORS & EDUCATORS

2. Whatis juntos? • Juntos is a Latino immigrant community led organization working since 2002 to promote our rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. • Juntos combines leadership development, community organizing, and focused collaborations with other community-based and advocacy organizations to build the power of our community so we may be active agents of change.  • We believe that every human being has the right to a quality education and the freedom to live with dignity regardless of immigration status.

3. Fighting for immigrant rights

4. Fighting for immigrant rights • Juntos has worked for over a decade on ensuring the rights in our community as immigrants are protected.   • Over the years leaders in Juntos have worked within the system to combat human rights and civil rights abuses and have identified the need to bring about changes to a broken immigration system. • Juntos members have participated in campaigns ranging from improving security, safety in the community, and relationships with police.  • In 2006 Juntos organized historic demonstrations in the city of Philadelphia to bring attention to national immigration issues and has been a key player in a national effort since then to push for comprehensive immigration reform.  • Most recently, Juntos led the campaign, "Pennsylvania: America Starts Here, the Hate Stops Here" to push back on anti-immigrant laws in the state of Pennsylvania and held a large historic mobilization to the Capitol in Harrisburg.  

5. Education Organizing

6. Education Organizing • Through the years Juntos has worked with Latino parents in South Philadelphia to improve the quality of education for their children. • Parents began by working on addressing the need for linguistic support inside schools in order to create effective parent engagement.  • Since then parents have worked to address improving ESOL programs, bilingual programming, and language access services, and to put an end to discrimination.  • Over the years Juntos parents have been able to secure over one million dollars worth of additional bilingual staff across the District as well as changed policy in the district to support more effective translation services, ESOL supports, and ,multi-cultural / Latino awareness of issues.

7. Fuerza

8. Fuerza • Fuerza is the youth leadership committee of Juntos. • It was founded in the fall of 2011 by student leaders in South Philadelphia to address immigration and education issues from a youth perspective. • Fuerza youth identified the Latino drop-out rate in the city of Philadelphia as an issue to address as well as college access for undocumented youth.   • Juntos sees the importance of youth leadership and guidance in empowering our communities. 

9. Facts about Undocumented Students • 2.5 million undocumented youth live in the US. • Many students don’t know they’re undocumented until they begin the college process. • Undocumented students don’t qualify for state or federal grants or loans, even if their parents pay taxes. • Being told or believing that undocumented students can’t go to college can harm a student to the point they loose hope and drop out of high school.

10. Undocumented Students do not only … • Come from Latin America • Have accents • Speak Spanish • Take ESL Classes

11. Other Facts • The city of Philadelphia has an astonishing 50% drop out rate. Many of these youth are youth who are undocumented and believe they have no hope to attend college or that they even have the right to apply and attend. • There is no law in the state of Pennsylvania that says Undocumented students can’t go to college.

12. What is the Dream Act? • Would allow a path of permanent residency for undocumented youth who graduate from high school. • Once a young person does two years at a college or university they would be allowed to apply for a 6 year stay . • “acquired a degree from an institution of higher education in the United States or [have] completed at least 2 years, in good standing, in a program for a bachelor's degree or higher degree in the United States" or have "served in the armed services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, [have] received an honorable discharge". • Upon completion the youth could apply for legal residency.

13. Plyler v. Doe • 1982 Supreme Court ruling • K-12 education is a fundamental, protected right for all children living in the United States regardless of citizenship or residency status.

14. What about Privacy concerns? • FERPA - Family Educational and Privacy Act • Protects privacy of student records at educational institutions • No risk for deportation just by applying to or enrolling in college.

15. Can Undocumented Students Qualify for In-State Tuition? • It varies from institution to institution • There is no In-State Tuition mandate in Pennsylvania, each institution has their own policies

16. Looking for Scholarships • Individual Scholarships • Go to www.e4fc.org to review a large number of scholarships that don’t require proof of citizenship or permanent residency status. • Private School Scholarships • Private universities are expensive but can often provide additional support through institutional grants and scholarships. Check with each school individually to see if: • undocumented students are eligible to apply for institutional scholarships • a paper FAFSA or CSS Profile should be submitted to determine financial need.

17. What is Deferred Action?

18. What is Deferred Action? • On June 15th Obama announced that some undocumented youth could apply for what is called “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” or known now as DACA • DACA is a protection from deportation • You will also be able to apply for a workers permit if you can show “economic necessity” • It will last for two years and can be renewed • You can receive a limited Social Security Card which will allow you to obtain a Pennsylvania I.D. or Driver’s License

19. What is Deferred Action? • What this does not include? • Does not lead to permanent resident status • Access to public benefits • Access to financial aid • Relatives of individuals with DA do not benefit • Does not erase or excuse previously accrued unlawful presence

20. How can you support an undocumented youth?

21. How can you support an undocumented youth? • Be inspiring and hopeful! Let them know there are options and possibilities. Thousands of undocumented students have gone to college in the US and graduated. This won’t be easy, but you/we can do it. • Don’t ask students to self-identify. Make information and resources available to all students. • Be knowledgeable about specific policies that affect undocumented students (The Dream Act from the federal to the local, Deferred Action, etc.) • Support the federal DREAM Act and PA legislation to support undocumented students. • Identify scholarships that don’t require citizenship or permanent residency. Encourage other scholarships to change their policies. • service and internships greatly increase your chance of winning scholarships.

22. ThoughtsorQuestions?

23. JUNTOS • Address: 2029 S. 8th St., Phila Pa • Phone number: 215-218-9079 • www.vamosjuntos.org