As community colleges begin to host a growing number of undocumented immigrant students, certain practices and requirements within college administration need to be implemented, according to a report released by the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education (CCCIE).
Over the next 20 years, immigrants and their children are projected to account for the total growth of the U.S. workforce. In a workforce that will require post-secondary education for almost two-thirds of its available jobs, the demand for accessible immigrant education has inherently become a concerning factor for many schools and organizations. With the help of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which was enacted in June, many undocumented immigrant students have found temporary relief from deportation as they are granted access to community colleges, provided they meet certain requirements.
“Community colleges currently play a key role in promoting increased educational access and attainment for undocumented students,” said Jill Casner-Lotto, director of CCCIE.
Lotto maintains that a community college’s “educational success is vital to reaching our national college completion goals and contributes to both economic growth and social vibrancy.”
While community colleges have embraced their pivotal role among immigrant students, these schools still face financial, legal and political barriers. The consortium partnered with a group of 23 community colleges and other organizations in order to address promising practices to help schools serve immigrant needs more effectively.
Members of the CCCIE found that even with access to in-state tuition, financial aid and other scholarships, many undocumented immigrants were unaware of the available assistance programs. Teresita Wisell, CCCIE executive director, reported that many immigrant students were hesitant to reach out to high school counselors for assistance in the college enrollment process particularly because it risked exposure of their immigrant family members.
“Fears of deportation have discouraged students from initiating contacts with high school and college counselors to seek assistance; the fear of exposing family members is still a reality for many,” Wisell commented.
