Juan is my brother. He’s an undocumented student who came to the U.S. when he was three. His life dream has always been to go to college and get a career so that one day our single mom wouldn’t have to work anymore.

But as the studies show, “college costs can have a large impact on the collegiate outcomes of undocumented students who have already chosen to attend college and the outcomes of price sensitive students including those from low income backgrounds” (Conger, The Impact of Tuition Increases on Undocumented Students).

A few years ago when we found out about DACA Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals program, our hopes skyrocketed, and all of a sudden our faith was renewed. “DACA is a program which shields eligible undocumented immigrant youth from deportation and provides them with temporary working authorization” (Conger, The Impact of Tuition Increases on Undocumented Students). We thought that perhaps with this it could be easier for my brother and I to get a chance to go to college. Thankfully I got accepted into a program called Early College. It is a program funded by Bill and Melinda Gates foundation along others, which gives students who are not likely to attend college on their own, a chance to get an associates degree for free. But as for my brother, he relies on my mother and on a weekend job to pay for his out of state college tuition. And why does my brother have out of state tuition, because he’s an undocumented student.

I was thinking my brother should take online college classes, or maybe he could get a fulltime job and try to go back to school another year. The problem is that he waited too long to start planning his future and now that it’s senior year he’s scared and has no clue what to do. But according to studies, this isn’t just my brother’s case.

“Undocumented students face structural barriers to higher education, such as a lack of adequate mentoring, limited information on eligibility from postsecondary institutions, and a lack of continued financing for tuition and other living costs. Furthermore the burden of high poverty rates and the need to work to help support their families as well as a fear to share information about their legal status; unsupportive college environments; and changing state laws that change residency requirements for in state tuition rates, leaving students uncertain about their rights- all conspire to lock the door to higher education for undocumented students” (Perez, Removing Barriers to Higher Education for Undocumented Students). So why are all these factors in a battle against my brother, because he’s an undocumented student.

Like many other DACA applicants, my brother and I came over to the U.S when we were at a very young age. He was three and I was one. We had no idea what was going on, we just came because our mother brought us, and of course our mother wanted the best for us, which is why we came. Had we stayed in Mexico, none of us would have gone to high school and much less even considered the opportunity of going to a university. Although we know that this wasn’t our fault. We pay the price for it. Every undocumented student who came to the U.S at a very young age pays the price for what their parents did for their own sake. Not only would we have missed out on high school and college, but we also might not have even been alive. Mexico has a lot of violence, and has a very corrupt government.

Not only do undocumented students have to pay double tuition in college, but they also are often discriminated. “Contrary to the supportive policy in California, other states- including Georgia, Arizona, and Indiana have enacted legislation that prevents undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition. Additionally, few states have implemented legislation that does not allow undocumented students to enroll in four-year institutions and community colleges.  For instance, states such as Georgia banned undocumented students from being admitted to Georgia’s top five universities” (Owens, 2012). Many of us lose faith that we’ll be able to make it into college due to lack of money, information, and discrimination, but study shows that even though undocumented students face barriers to reach post secondary education, they have high levels of personal and environmental protective factors including parents, friends, school values, and bilingual competency (Perez, Espinoza, Ramos, Coronado, Cortes, 2009). Although we have support, and unique qualities, not many undocumented students succeed in their search for postsecondary education. Many students face discrimination, and face hope stealing barriers, and in that list is my brother. So why despite all his efforts to go to college has he not succeeded, because he’s an undocumented student.

Works Cited
Cervantes, Joseph M., Laura P. Minero, and Elivet Brito. "Tales Of Survival 101 For  Undocumented Latina/O Immigrant University Students: Commentary And  Recommendations From Qualitative Interviews."Journal Of Latina/O Psychology 3.4  (2015): 224-238.PsycARTICLES. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
Conger, Dylan, and (SREE) Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. "The Impact  Of  Tuition Increases On Undocumented College Students' Schooling  Decisions." Society  For Research On Educational Effectiveness (2014): ERIC. Web.  23 Mar. 2016.
Nienhusser, H. Kenny, Blanca E. Vega, and Mariella Saavedra Carquin. "BRIDGING THE  GAP: Guiding The College Search Of Undocumented Students." Journal Of College  Admission 229 (2015): 30-34. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
Nienhusser, H. Kenny. "Role Of High Schools In Undocumented Students' College  Choice." Education Policy Analysis Archives 21.85 (2013):ERIC. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
Perez, Zenen Jaimes. "Removing Barriers to Higher Education for Undocumented Students."  Center for American Progress. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.