Undocumented students and their allies rallied on the NIU campus this month calling for an increase in institutional support for undocumented students and for immigration reform at the federal level, as the upcoming election season was on top of mind for this year’s speakers.
Luis in his testimony said his parent’s sacrifice for a better future drives his own ambition, even as his legal status also shapes how he navigates his education.
“Growing up undocumented means that you have to live in a world that where you're conditioned not to draw attention to yourself,” he said. “You learned to exhaust all possible options before asking for help.”
Luis spoke out as part of the annual “Coming Out of the Shadows” hosted by Dream Action NIU. The event brings attention to the struggles students who are undocumented face in the U.S., and their resilience.
He said the unknowns of being undocumented stir uncertainty and fear in him daily.
“It can push us into head spaces and situations that I wish no one would have to go through," Luis said. “It can sometimes cause us to lose grasp of our self-worth.”
And Luis, like the other speakers, called for folks to advocate for immigration reform and take part in November’s election.
“I want to challenge all of you who can vote to go vote this year,” he said. “Trust me, I'm sick and tired of all the politicians too. But we cannot continue to do this work without people who actually see us as human beings.”
Wendy recalled her worry during the 2016 presidential election.
“The world was about to change for me, but all my coworkers could say was, ‘Who cares? It's not like it really matters,’” she said. “But the election mattered a lot to me, my work permit was in danger.”
Wendy is undocumented and arrived as a toddler to the U.S. from Mexico. She learned English by watching PBS Kids. She has work authorization and relief from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, Act.
Former President Barack Obama signed that policy by executive order in 2012. In 2017 his successor, Donald Trump, announced an end to the policy.
Wendy said that’s when her fears became a reality.
“And I have never fully known peace since that day,” she said.
The policy’s legality has also been challenged in the federal courts. As of now, current recipients can renew their application, while new applications cannot be processed.
With her status in jeopardy, Wendy nevertheless pursued her education. Prior to attending NIU, she enrolled part-time in community college, since it was more affordable. And she's always worked, sometimes holding more than one job to pay for her education.
Now, eight years later, Wendy plans on graduating in May and will be the first in her family to do so.
“Fast forward to 2024,” she said, “my tenaciousness and resilience have helped me overcome any struggle I face, whether that be emotionally, financially or just anything that gets thrown at me while navigating this thing called life.”
Among the speakers was Tanya Cabrera, the assistant vice chancellor for student inclusion at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she supports undocumented students.
She said regardless of which party holds the White House, the drive for immigration reform has gone on for decades -- far too long.
“Generations of students and families have navigated their pathways to higher education with -- or without -- DACA,” Cabrera said. “And now this being an election year, we need to stand in solidarity and ensure that our vote makes a difference, and we settle for nothing less than inclusive citizenship for all.”
And as the political divide on immigration reform in Washington widens, undocumented youth, as part of Dream Action NIU, and their allies have rallied their Illinois state legislators and university administrators to make higher education accessible to all, regardless of their status.
And they’ve seen some success.
In 2019, the Illinois Rise Act was signed into law that allows undocumented students with Illinois residency to apply for state and institutional funding for higher education. Undocumented students are not eligible for federal funding.
