deborah málaga, school counselor harding high school, spps … · 2020. 8. 7. · presentation...
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Presentation Outline Norms for discussion Terminology & general information Relevant court cases & legislation Dream Act MN Colleges (good news!) Access to K-12, higher education &
the world of work• Financial Aid/Scholarships• Video Common mental health issues Practical Examples What can I do? School Policies Questions
Terminology
For the purpose of this presentation, to be “documented” means to qualify for federal and state financial aid. Basically, to have a MN state ID (or qualify to apply) and a valid social security number. United States citizens, legal permanent residents or eligible non-citizens are considered “documented.”
What is the politically correct term?Illegal alien or illegal immigrant vs. undocumentedimmigrant or undocumented student vs. non-citizen(resident of MN)
The Basics: General InformationIt is estimated that approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high schools across the nation every year. (CollegeBoard, 2008)
In 2005 the Pew Hispanic Center estimated the number ofundocumented immigrants in the U.S. to be 11 million. The same study estimated 55,000-85,000 undocumented people to be living in MN. (The Advocates for Human Rights, fact sheet)
About 80,000 undocumented people turn 18 each year, but 16-20% of them do not complete high school -16,000 students! (Protopsaltis, Spiros. “Undocumented Immigrant Students and Access to Higher Ed”)
The Basics (cont. 1)Only 1 out of every 20 (5%) undocumented high school seniors attends college (Ibid.)
Even those who do graduate from college cannot work legally in the U.S. under current immigration law. (The Advocates for Human Rights, fact sheet)
Many assume that undocumented students cannot legally attend college in the United States. This is not true. There is NO federal or state law that prohibits the admission of non-citizens to U.S. colleges and universities, public or private, nor does federal or state law require students to prove citizenship in order to enroll. However, institutional policies vary. (VA, NC examples)
The Basics (cont. 2)The DREAM ACT (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors)
Ten states have passed laws that permit undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates under certain circumstances -Texas, California, New York, Utah, Illinois, Washington, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas-(MN Freedom Immigrant Network)
40% of all undocumented students live in CA. (Pew Hispanic Center)
Undocumented students are trapped in a legal paradox.K-12 vs. higher education (CollegeBoard)
VocabularyUS citizen: A person born in the U.S., a U.S. territory or a person who naturalized. Also, a person born abroad from at least one U.S. citizen parent. May not bedeported and may petition to immigrate family members, may vote.
Legal permanent resident (LPR) or green card holder: May live permanently in theU.S. LPRs may work, drive, apply for the FAFSA, and serve in the military, butcannot vote. A LPR may be deported for certain criminal convictions and maybecome a U.S. citizen through naturalization.
Immigrant: A non-citizen who intends to live in the U.S.Non-immigrant: A non-citizen who is granted a temporary visa for a specificlimited period of time, and (student, tourist, diplomat)Migrant: Any person who lives temporarily or permanently in a country where he orshe was not born.
Undocumented: A non-citizen who entered the U.S. without legal immigrationstatus (a visa) or who stayed after the period they were authorized to be here.Undocumented persons do not have employment authorization and may bedeported if discovered by CIS. Not eligible for federal and state financial aid, butoften eligible for private scholarships.
Vocabulary (cont.)Visa: A document or stamp placed in a person’s passport issued by a U.S. consulateto a non-citizen allowing that person to enter the U.S. Visas are either non-Immigrant or immigrant.
Refugee: Under U.S. law, a refugee is a person who has fled his or her country of originbecause of past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based upon race,religion, nationality, political opinion, or a membership in a particular social group.
Political Asylum or Asylee: Individuals who meet the definition of refugee and whoare already in the U.S or who are seeking entry may qualify regardless of country of originand current immigration status –no quotas.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): The government agency thatoversees lawful immigration to the United States of America. USCIS "adjudicate" (decideupon) the petitions and applications of potential immigrants.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): United States Immigration andCustoms Enforcement is a component of the Department of Homeland SecurityOur mission is to protect national security by enforcing our nation's customs andimmigration laws.
All fueled by societal doubts about educating undocumented students, often co-existing with economic down turns.
Plyer vs. Doe (1982, Supreme Court)In 1975 Texas legislature passed a law that withheld state funding for undocumented students. Tyler School District began to charge undocumented students $1,000 per year. Class action suit filed against school district on behalf of 16 undocumented children. Guarantees K-12 education for all.
Section 505 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996 prohibits states from giving in-state tuition to undocumented residents if they do not offer the same benefit to out-of-state citizens. (Advocates for Human Rights2006)
Proposition 187 in California (early 1990s)Designed to deny illegal immigrants social services, health care and public education, passed by a slim margin, but was later overturned by a federal court
DREAM ACT (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors)Bi-partisan legislation and a part of the current comprehensive immigration reform. Has not passed at the federal level yet and has not passed in MN. Currently enacted in different forms in ten states.
Latinos in MNLatinos in Minnesota come from many countries other than Mexico. They includeGuatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, Chile,Argentina, Uruguay, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Cuba,and the Dominican Republic.
Of the more than 36 million person of Hispanic/Latino heritage thatlive in the United States just over 215,000 people make the state of Minnesota their home. In the North Central sector of the Midwest region, only Kansashas a larger Latino population than Minnesota.
Today, Latinos comprise the largest ethnic minority group in Minnesota, positioning it among the top ten states nationally in terms of Hispanic populationgrowth and sixth in the nation for fastest growing buying power.
Source: MN Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
The DREAM ACT (see folder)
Flat Tuition Rates: MN CollegesSome public colleges and universities in Minnesotaoffer in-state tuition to ALL of their students,regardless of citizenship or state of residence.
There is no universal policy in Minnesota dictatinghow tuition will be charged to undocumented students.The following public institutions charge the residenttuition rate to ALL students:
Flat Rate Tuition: MN Colleges
Four Year Colleges:
Bemidji State University
Minnesota State University Moorhead
University of Minnesota, Crookston
University of Minnesota, Morris
Southwest Minnesota State University: Marshall
Flat Rate Tuition: MN CollegesMetro Area Two Year Colleges: Greater MN 2 Year Colleges
Anoka-Ramsey Community College: Cambridge and Coon Rapids
Anoka Technical College: Anoka Century College: White Bear Lake Hennepin Technical College: Brooklyn Park
and Eden Prairie Inver Hills Community College Minneapolis Community & Technical
College * Normandale Community College North Hennepin Community College:
Brooklyn Park Saint Paul College *
*Graduates of Minneapolis and St. Paul high schools may also be eligible for free tuition through the
Power of You program.
(Get Ready Website)
Alexandria Technical College: Alexandria Central Lakes College: Brainerd and Staples Minnesota State Community and Technical
College: Fergus Falls, Moorhead, Wadena and Detroit Lakes
Minnesota West College: Jackson, Granite Falls, Worthington, Pipestone, Canby
Northland College: Thief River Falls and East Grand Forks
Northwest Technical College: Bemidji Ridgewater College: Willmar and
Hutchinson Riverland College: Austin and Albert Lea Rochester Community and Technical
College: Rochester St. Cloud Technical College: St. Cloud South Central College: Mankato and
Faribault
World of WorkObstacles
Undocumented students who graduate from college do not receive legal permission to work in the United States upon graduation. This *greatly* impacts what counselors may perceive as motivation.
In most cases, the student is indeed motivated, but understands that even with a college degree options that are readily available to others will be out of their reach.
In certain cases, college educated students may qualify for work visas (highly skilled) or possibly work for a US company abroad. Some students decide to pursue graduate studies while they wait for comprehensive immigration reform and/or the Dream Act to pass.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Suggestions Create a binder or something similar to organize
specific scholarships that are open to ALL students. Make sure your students are aware of this resource.
Contact scholarship funders, donors and sponsors to inquire and advocate for undocumented students (annually). Focus on local and/or based out of your school site.
Communicate regularly with admissions and financial aid representatives on behalf of specific students.
What if the student is a US citizen and the parent(s) are not?
If the student is a US Citizen but one or more parents are undocumented, the student is eligible for federal student aid. However, if the parents supply a fake or stolen social security number on the form, the student's FAFSA will be rejected when the parent's social security number fails to match. The FAFSA may also be rejected if the parents submit a SSN or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) that is valid for work purposes only. If the parents do not have a social security number they should use 000-00-0000 as their social security number on the FAFSA form.
LoansFederal student loans, such as the Stafford Loanprogram, are not available to undocumented students.Minnesota offers a loan program called the SELF LoanProgram, which is available to citizens and non-citizensalike. A separate application is used to apply for the SELFLoan, available through the college's financial aid office.A qualified borrower who is undocumented must have acredit-worthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen.
For more information on the SELF Loan Program, visitwww.selfloan.org
Dream Act Portal “Dreamies”http://dreamact.info
Welcome to DREAM Act Portal ...the largest communityof undocumented students
*discussion board*updated information about the Dream Act*helpful information about who qualifies*student led, empowering
(Tuition Answer Loan and Signature Student Loan with SallieMae, must have a U.S. citizen or LPR co-signer.)
www.salliemae.com
Common Mental Health Issues Anxiety
Paranoia
Depression
Isolation
Confusion in Identity Development
Video: New York Times (July, 2009)
NY Times: A family divided by two words: legal and illegal
Things to Remember… We will not always know the status of our students, and it
can change. Siblings may differ as there are many mixed-status families. We do not need to know in order to provide accurate
information about both scenarios in class, group and individual settings.
How do I ask and when? Never use a fake social security number, leave it blank and
when asked for immigration status check “other.” Ok to mark that one is a resident of MN, confusing when it
asks if one is a legal resident of MN. Never try to pass as a US citizen or legal resident if it is not true.
What Can I Do? Overtly state your support and interest to learn more. Post information in your office.
Understand that students may be scared or nervous. If possible, wait for them to self-disclose.
Overtly state that school and educators at all levels do not report immigration status to authorities, when appropriate.
Do not ignore the topic and hope it goes away.
Network actively with college counselors and scholarship reps about this issue.
Do not talk about it in public with a student, even if the student is among friends.
Post resources in your office and speak openly about all options in class guidance, group settings and individual sessions
Make sure counselors on your team and other support staff are aware and try to work with a common approach
Offer specific scholarships to students at beginning of year and make sure that financial aid nights you sponsor are relevant.
Support the Dream Act (state and federal)
What Can I do? (cont.)Take advantage of post-secondary options such as PSEO, College in the Schools(CIS), Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB). Studentsqualify under the K-12 law (Plyer vs. Doe). Talk to 9th and 10th graders aboutthese options so that they understand that they could qualify for these options andthat their GPA matters! These programs are a great topic for 9th grade parentmeetings.
Be extremely explicit about forms that ask for a social security number, but not doactually require it. For example, school lunch forms, ACT registration,college applications, PSEO applications, etc. Students need to hear from us thatthe social security number is on the application, but NOT required.
Certain college access programs require students to be permanent residents or US citizens while others do not. Network with the college access programs in your school to make appropriate referrals.
