The US Educator's Role in the Lives of Undocumented Immigrants

There has been increasing federal resistance to supporting undocumented immigrants in the United States (e.g. last month it was the DACA rescission and this past week it was the call to expedite deportations), despite the actions many states have and are taking to challenge these views.

Undocumented immigrants have been vilified by the national rhetoric; however, according to the non-profit, Define American, undocumented immigrants "pay $11.64 billion annually in state and local taxes", contribute "$12 billion annually to the social security trust fund" and when compared to their native-born counterparts, they are less likely to commit crimes and more likely to start businesses. Many of these undocumented families are here because they are victims of circumstance; still, immigration has highly positive social and economic benefits for host countries. So what can/should be done now? Discussions among educators have been both about how this federal resistance might impact the education sector and, more importantly, what the education sector can do to alleviate the problem. Education is a tool and schools its fertile ground to create change for undocumented immigrants while working within existing federal restrictions.

Despite the quasi-legal status of undocumented families, all children have a right to a public education. Fighting to provide children of these families a safe and supportive learning environment means to first be able to keep them in school. It begins by challenging the negative narrative and ending discriminatory punitive discipline practices that pull already vulnerable children out of the classroom and into the criminal justice system. This means training teachers on positive behavior interventions, constantly re-visiting the code of conduct, and working closely with law enforcement (especially by limiting their involvement on campus). To protect all students is a core component of the educator's role, both while they are in school and in anticipation of their lives upon leaving. The ability of undocumented immigrants to enroll in a post-secondary education varies by state; therefore, only 5-10% of undocumented high school graduates enroll in college. For this reason, educators (especially K-12 educators in states that prohibit undocumented students to access college) should also equip their undocumented students with information on how to better navigate the US legal and educational systems.

Creating a supportive school climate requires working both within and beyond school boundaries. Educators should leverage their rapport with families of other students to develop community understanding. Incorporating this information into school curriculum, educators can use anecdotes on the difficulties of being undocumented and explore all sides of the legal discourse surrounding the issue. Districts should invest in the capacity building efforts necessary to train teachers in critical pedagogy and equip their staff with the necessary tools and resources to support their most vulnerable students. Schools should partner with non-profit agencies, immigration lawyers, and potential employers, that students can be referred to on a case-by-case basis. The short-term objective is a more informed student population but the long-term outcomes include a welcoming climate within which all students can thrive.

Photo Credit: stellaresque42.tumblr.com

At the tertiary level, in the same manner that higher education institutions approach racial diversity, value should also be placed on cultural diversity (and diversity of nationalities). Not only can diversity enrich the educational experience of all students but universities today are competing in a global market and should feel a need to be equipped to operate as such. Universities in most states classify undocumented students as international students; therefore, institutions should see the presence of immigrants (no matter their legal status) as a benefit to the social and academic experience of all their students. By framing this as an internationalization issue and not merely a legal one, institutions should fight for pathways to admit undocumented students and allow them to compete with their documented international counterparts for scholarships, grants, and employment/research opportunities.

Now is not a time to feel debilitated by federal decisions but a time to act in spite of them.