The administration’s recent executive order on immigration and rescinding of the guidance on immigration enforcement in or near protected areas has created waves of fear among students from mixed-status families and undocumented people. Mass enforcement, detention, and deportation frames undocumented individuals as threats to national security, much akin to alleged terrorists requiring detention at Guantanamo Bay after 2001. Now, with the looming prospect of immigrants and even U.S. citizens being deported to El Salvador, the undocumented population is rightfully scared. Not even people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are safe now. Undocumented students who once saw education as a bridge to opportunity and contribution now face a grim reality: their academic aspirations could make them targets for deportation. When students feel that higher education is inaccessible, they are more likely to disengage from the educational system entirely. This policy shift threatens to push close to a million students into the shadows, denying them the chance to achieve their full potential.

Higher Education & Economic Mobility Are Under Attack

The promise of higher education as a pathway to economic mobility is under attack. Recent federal and state policies, including the administration’s sweeping executive order on immigration and Florida’s proposal to revoke in-state tuition for undocumented students, represent a seismic shift that threatens to bar thousands of students from postsecondary opportunities (not to mention advancing immigration enforcement activities that cost states tens of millions of dollars). Just like the rash of anti-DEI policies, these sweeping policy changes send a chilling message: Education is a privilege reserved for some, not a right accessible to all.

These policies do not just harm undocumented students, they weaken our higher education system and significantly impact society. Undocumented students are integral to the fabric of American higher education, and when given access to financial aid and tuition support, they persist and graduate at similar rates. Denying them access to affordable education means denying the country generations of talented professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

Denying undocumented students access to affordable education means denying the country generations of talented professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders

The role of state policies in shaping postsecondary access for undocumented students is verifiable. Research has consistently shown that when states enact inclusive policies, such as in-state resident tuition (ISRT) and access to financial aid, undocumented students are more likely to enroll in and complete college. Conversely, restrictive policies create barriers that suppress college-going aspirations and force students to abandon their educational dreams.

Florida’s proposal to roll back in-state tuition rights (ISRT) for undocumented students is a direct attack on educational access. For years, ISRT policies have provided undocumented students with pathways to pursue higher education. Now, thousands of students who once saw college as an attainable goal face an insurmountable financial burden. Research has shown that when students lose access to in-state tuition, their college enrollment drops significantly. These policy reversals will have long-lasting consequences, pushing many talented students out of the higher education pipeline and limiting their contributions to society. The economic cost of restricting in-state tuition is the reduction in skilled workers, leading to lower tax revenues and slower economic growth. Fewer college graduates mean less innovation, reduced business investments, and a greater need for social services, causing further strain on already tightened budgets.

The Rippling Effects on Entire Communities

This false rhetoric that immigrants are dangerous is damaging and reinforces discrimination and isolation. The messaging coupled with aggressive enforcement, creates an environment where undocumented students feel unsafe engaging with educational institutions. Research shows that federal immigration policies influence students’ perceptions of educational opportunity and mobility. When undocumented students or students from mixed-status families face heightened risks of detention or deportation, many may choose to forgo education altogether, with parents and students questioning whether they should continue going to school as attacks on students, who are or who are perceived to be, undocumented increase. Moreover, these policies have a ripple effect on entire communities. The 11 million students from immigrant-headed households (legal and illegal) account for nearly 1 out of 4 students in public schools. Not only does the threat of deportation stoke fear from the government, but it also breeds hatred of citizens, some even teachers, who may feel emboldened to report anyone they suspect of being undocumented.

Schools, colleges, and universities serve as critical support systems for undocumented students, providing legal resources, mentorship, and advocacy. When states and the federal government enact restrictive policies, these institutions are forced into a difficult position: either comply with exclusionary measures or find ways to resist and support their students.

Pushing Undocumented Students into the Shadows

By rolling back protections and ramping up enforcement, this executive order reinforces a message that in the Land of Opportunity, the World’s Melting Pot, that certain people do not belong. Undocumented students who once saw education as a bridge to opportunity and contribution now face a grim reality: their academic aspirations could make them targets for removal. When students feel that higher education is inaccessible, they are more likely to disengage from the educational system entirely. This policy shift threatens to push thousands of students into the shadows, denying them the chance to achieve their full potential. Moreover, these policies have a ripple effect on entire communities. Schools, colleges, and universities serve as critical support systems for undocumented students, providing legal resources, mentorship, and advocacy. When states and the federal government enact restrictive policies, these institutions are forced into a difficult position: either comply with exclusionary measures or find ways to resist and support their students.

How to Get Involved

Now more than ever, we must support undocumented students. Higher education should be a beacon of opportunity, not a system of exclusion. The time to act is now. Here’s what you can do:

At the state level:

• Contact your state representative and advocate for legislation that grants in-state tuition and financial aid eligibility for undocumented students.
• Mobilize state lawmakers and education boards to prevent rollbacks of existing ISRT policies, like Florida’s proposal.
• Call the governor’s office and demand access.
• Advocate for the creation or expansion of state scholarship and grant programs that explicitly include undocumented students.
• Pressure governors, state legislatures, and higher education boards to resist federal and state overreach and maintain inclusive policies.
• Engage in state budget advocacy to secure funding for undocumented student support programs.

At the federal level:

• Urge the administration to reinstate guidance on immigration enforcement in or near schools and other protected areas.
• Contact your representatives in Congress and demand they pass the DREAM Act or similar legislation providing a path to legal status for undocumented students.
• Organize sign-on letters and other actions that oppose Federal executive orders and legislation that harm undocumented students
• Mobilize public support to prevent anti-immigrant provisions in federal budget negotiations.
• Support lawsuits challenging state and federal policies that restrict undocumented student access to education.
• Engage in Direct Action: Organize protests, petitions, and letter-writing campaigns targeting policymakers.

These regressive and flawed policies must be addressed through coordinated state and federal action. By working together, advocates can push back against exclusionary measures and fight for a future where undocumented students, mixed-status families, TPS holders, asylum seekers, and refugee students are not forced to live in fear. Joint efforts should focus on ensuring they have an opportunity to pursue their education, contribute to their communities, and build a better future for themselves and their families.