Advice for Undocumented College Students

Undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. still have some options to attend college, although it can come at quite a cost, one which may be well beyond the reach of many families. The easiest means of becoming a college student is to participate in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. If you meet the various requirements of this program, which includes an arrival in the U.S. before a certain age, then you will obtain the right to legally work, live, and go to school in the U.S. in two-year renewable increments. However, the Trump administration ended DACA late last year, but a federal court has blocked Trump’s administrative order, at least for now. At best, the future of DACA remains uncertain. No federal law exists banning undocumented immigrants from attending college, although state laws in South Carolina and Alabama do forbid it. The larger difficulty is paying for college; undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, 20 states do allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates, while six other states prohibit in-state tuition rates for this class of students. In the remaining states, it is up to the discretion of individual colleges and universities to determine whether to charge these students in-state or out-of-state tuition. In any cases, many colleges and universities have private or institutional sources of financial assistance that may be available for undocumented students in some cases, although the funds admittedly are more limited than those available for American citizen students. At Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., we care about you, and we want to help you preserve your home in the United States. If you or a family member fears deportation, you need to speak with an experienced immigration attorney right away. We focus our law practice solely on deportation defense cases, which allows us to focus all of our efforts in standing up for the rights of those who are facing potential deportation. Our California deportation defense lawyers know how to gather persuasive evidence to support your case and we know all of the procedural ins and outs of the U.S. deportation system. Allow us to handle your deportation case by contacting us today to schedule an appointment.