Politics / StudentNation / July 21, 2023

Universities Shouldn’t Forget About Undocumented Students

Many colleges ignored the undocumented community once President Biden took office, but CUNY’s new efforts show how higher education can better support these students.

Yamila Martinez
City University of New York
A student exits a building on the campus of Hunter College of the City University of New York.(Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

For Krissia Bonilla, going to college was much more difficult than it was for her peers. As she was protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, she wasn’t sure how to apply. The guidelines weren’t clear, and even the staff at her school were confused. “My high school counselor didn’t know what to do.”

More than 427,000 undocumented students are enrolled in postsecondary education, representing about two percent of all college students. Undocumented students are ineligible for federal financial aid: They cannot access Pell Grants, student loans, or federal work study. Only 23 states offer undocumented students access to in-state tuition. Just 17 states, including New York, offer state-funded financial aid for undocumented students, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal.

Unsure of the relevant laws, Bonilla began asking outside organizations for help. Bonilla eventually found a nonprofit called The Door, which offers services to young people in New York City from mental health counseling and crisis assistance to college prep and career development. With The Door’s help, she applied to the City University of New York. CUNY spans 25 campuses across the city’s five boroughs and serves 275,000 degree-seeking students. “As the nation’s largest urban public university system, CUNY is dedicated to educating and advocating for the immigrant students and families who make up the lifeblood of our city and state.”

After undocumented students are enrolled, though, they face new challenges. For example, registering for a major can require a Social Security number for certification, and not all internships and fellowships allow undocumented students. In December 2021, the system hired Cynthia Carvajal as the director of undocumented and immigrant student programs, a first-of-its-kind position to address policies that affect undocumented students. As a formerly undocumented immigrant herself, Carvajal’s role is part of CUNY’s efforts to ensure that immigrant students get the resources they need as they matriculate through four years of school. “I have students who want to do the nursing program, and they cannot get a straight answer about whether they can or cannot do it,” said Albert Lee, a student success specialist at CUNY’s Borough of Manhattan Community College.

According to Carvajal, colleges have paid even less attention to undocumented students during the Biden administration. “Because of the loud and visible violence towards the undocumented community during the Trump administration, there was a higher sense of urgency to support undocumented students during that time.” Under Biden, many of the Trump-era policies related to immigration remain in place. “For the ones who are undocumented, the urgency is still there,” said Carvajal.

After helping undocumented students for more than five years, Lee also searches for outside opportunities, stipends, and grants for which undocumented students can apply. “My job requires me to do more. I have to find resources for my students.” Having adequate funding and resources for undocumented students is critical. “What matters most is that there is money placed specifically for this population,” said Carvajal. CUNY has an “Immigration Success Liaison” on each school campus. Liaisons are trained to support immigrant and undocumented students and are educated about financial aid and enrollment, among other matters. The university has also partnered with The Dream.US since 2014 to provide scholarships up to $39,000 for undocumented students. While some universities have institutional scholarships that require students to provide social security numbers or legal documents, CUNY’s scholarships are open to every student regardless of immigration status.

During the pandemic, the university started new initiatives to support undocumented students. When the Trump administration excluded undocumented students from emergency financial relief disbursed to college students under the federal CARES Act during the pandemic, CUNY created the Chancellor’s Emergency Relief Fund, providing more than 1,400 CUNY undocumented students with emergency grants of $500. In the second round of relief, CUNY allocated 5 percent as discretionary funds to continue supporting them.

In 2019, CUNY opened two immigrant student success centers, at John Jay College and Brooklyn College, to “organize workshops, support groups and other programming and resources to alleviate obstacles faced by students who are immigrants, including those who are undocumented.” According to Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, there are “only 30 such centers in the United States as of 2018, with 25 of them concentrated in California. The centers were often funded by temporary grants and run by part-time staff.” As director, Carvajal will oversee the expansion of the centers to other CUNY campuses. “These centers create an opportunity for students to receive important academic and legal information, develop a sense of belonging and connect with other immigrant students across and within their diaspora,” writes the university.

Other schools are unveiling different initiatives. The University of California formed a task force to examine the 1986 federal law that prohibits the hiring of immigrants without legal status. If it is able to revise this policy, it will be the first university in the country open to hiring undocumented students. A resolution is expected by November. Along with CUNY, TheDream.US has partnered with dozens of colleges, including Rutgers University, Morgan State University, Arizona State University, and Oglethorpe University. “We are proud to have 70+ Partner Colleges across the United States—all committed to serving and graduating DREAMers.”

CUNY’s strong advocacy for undocumented students’ well-being and future in this country stands as both an example and a challenge to other state systems. “CUNY takes great pride in its strong advocacy for undocumented immigrants and Dreamers, along with the fact that so many leading advocates in our community are DACA recipients themselves,” wrote the university’s chancellor, Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, on the 10th anniversary of the program. “Our country’s future depends on their success yet partisan gridlock is leaving our brightest minds behind. We again call on our lawmakers to keep working to provide the path to U.S. citizenship that all DACA recipients and undocumented youth who call this country home have more than earned.”

Support independent journalism that exposes oligarchs and profiteers


Donald Trump’s cruel and chaotic second term is just getting started. In his first month back in office, Trump and his lackey Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) have proven that nothing is safe from sacrifice at the altar of unchecked power and riches.

Only robust independent journalism can cut through the noise and offer clear-eyed reporting and analysis based on principle and conscience. That’s what The Nation has done for 160 years and that’s what we’re doing now.

Our independent journalism doesn’t allow injustice to go unnoticed or unchallenged—nor will we abandon hope for a better world. Our writers, editors, and fact-checkers are working relentlessly to keep you informed and empowered when so much of the media fails to do so out of credulity, fear, or fealty.

The Nation has seen unprecedented times before. We draw strength and guidance from our history of principled progressive journalism in times of crisis, and we are committed to continuing this legacy today.

We’re aiming to raise $25,000 during our Spring Fundraising Campaign to ensure that we have the resources to expose the oligarchs and profiteers attempting to loot our republic. Stand for bold independent journalism and donate to support The Nation today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel

Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

Yamila Martinez

Yamila Martinez is a freelance journalist. She has written for The Nation, Latino News Network, and more. Her main interests are immigration, education, public policies, and international affairs.

More from The Nation

Cole Ramsey holds a transgender pride flag in front of the Ohio Statehouse on June 24, 2021, to protest the passing of legislation against trans women playing sports in high school and college.

“I’m Terrified”: Trans-Feminine Athletes in Their Own Words “I’m Terrified”: Trans-Feminine Athletes in Their Own Words

In part two of a series, trans women athletes describe what it’s like to compete in the Trump era.

Dave Zirin

Supporters of Mahmoud Khalil rally at Foley Square in Manhattan on March 12, 2025.

Columbia Is Betraying Its Students. We Must Change Course. Columbia Is Betraying Its Students. We Must Change Course.

The administration is choosing complicity over courage in the case of Mahmoud Khalil. It’s time for the faculty to demand a new path.

Bruce Robbins

The Trans Cult Who Believes AI Will Either Save Us—or Kill Us All

The Trans Cult Who Believes AI Will Either Save Us—or Kill Us All The Trans Cult Who Believes AI Will Either Save Us—or Kill Us All

What the Zizians, a trans vegan cult allegedly behind multiple murders, can teach us about radicalization and our tech-addled politics.

Grace Byron

Protesters demonstrate in lower Manhattan in support of Mahmoud Khalil on March 10, 2025.

We Are Asking the Wrong Questions About Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest We Are Asking the Wrong Questions About Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest

The only relevant question is not “How can the government do this?” It is “How can we who oppose this fascist regime stop it?”

Elie Mystal

DOGE’s Private-Equity Playbook

DOGE’s Private-Equity Playbook DOGE’s Private-Equity Playbook

Elon Musk's rampage through the government is a classic PE takeover, replete with bogus numbers and sociopathic executives.

Maureen Tkacik

Parts of LA  Are Not Going to Be Habitable

Parts of LA Are Not Going to Be Habitable Parts of LA Are Not Going to Be Habitable

Insurers have figured out that risk is too high in parts of California. We need to re-conceive how people are housed, and fast.

Column / Kate Wagner