In 2008, I joined the Houston corps and taught 6th grade reading at a predominantly Latino school. At that point, I knew little about the culture of the immigrant families living and working in Houston. Although my mom’s house was less than two miles from my school, my world and those of my students seemed disconnected and distant. Over the course of two years, I heard countless stories about families struggling to realize their own American dreams on this side of the border. For most parents, that meant working multiple low-wage hard labor jobs with little to no health benefits.
Of course, I encouraged my students to work hard, stay in school, stay out of trouble, and go to college so they could get higher-paying jobs with better benefits. But I soon learned that for the vast majority of my students, college was not an easy option. Take Jonathan: because he lacks documentation, the high cost of college will almost definitely prevent him from enrolling. Although Texas is one of 12 states that offers in-state tuition to undocumented students who meet qualifications, Jonathan still cannot apply for federal financial aid. He once told me that he wants to be an engineer. I felt like a liar telling him that all he had to do to get into college was work hard and get good grades. It would take far more work than that.
Graphic from the National Immigration Law Center.
President Obama’s recent announcement that he will allow undocumented citizens to obtain work visas (as long as they are under 30, moved to the US before they were 16, have not committed any major crimes, have a high school diploma or GED, or have served in the military) is a step in the right direction, but it does not help my students get to college. Yes, it helps them access jobs more easily. Yes, it alleviates the fear of deportation. But if we are going to allow kids like Jonathan to live and work in our country, why not make it easier for them to seek higher education so they can contribute even more to our society and economy? Why not give Jonathan access to college so he has the option of realizing his dream of becoming an engineer?
So this policy change is just the first step, and hopefully not the last, to making Jonathan’s dream come true. Our nation needs bright students like Jonathan to diversify our workforce by going to and through college. In the coming months and years, I will be scanning the headlines with the hopes that undocumented students gain access to additional federal resources for higher education. Jonathan, and so many other kids, are here in this country for good. Why not leverage their potential and provide them the opportunity to live out their American dreams?
