by Lindsey Jackson
The topic of immigration is particularly important for educators, especially in regards to undocumented minors. These children and teenagers, brought to the States at a young age, have no paperwork and no legal status. Although all children in the United States have a legal right to a free, appropriate, public education up through high school, undocumented students often cannot go to college.
The DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act was created in an attempt to change that. It sought to provide federal assistance and in-state tuition rates to undocumented minors wanting to attend college. However, the law, first introduced back in 2001, has been voted down by Congress several times and to this day has not passed.
Because of this, President Obama issued a series of executive actions in 2014, including an expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act, which offers qualified undocumented child arrivals two years of leniency without fear of deportation, during which time they can apply for a social security card. But the expansion of DACA and DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents) resulted in the state of Texas suing the United States of America for, among other things, an infringement of states’ rights. The case is currently being reviewed in the Supreme Court—in all reality, proceedings are done and we are just waiting on results—and the decision made there could have a major impact on educators.
If the Court rules in the federal government’s favor, the implementation of the expanded DACA and DAPA could decrease drop-out rates among undocumented students, offer new professional development for educators that trains them to work with English learners and/or immigrants, and lower students’ affective filters: if students are not constantly worried about deportation, there is a distinct possibility that DACA could result in students’ better focus on school and better performance in the long run. If the Court rules in Texas’ favor, the original DACA will remain in place, but the expansion and DAPA will not pass, thereby retaining the right of the government to deport the parents of DACA recipients. No matter the ruling, the decision will dictate the futures of many groups—immigrants, their families, educators, employers, and beyond.
But right now, we wait. Experts suggest that the Supreme Court decision will not be made public until June. Until that time, it is important to stay up-to-date on the issue. For explanations from both sides of the spectrum, reports of current events involving DACA, or some Q&A about immigration in general, check out the following links:
- PBS NewsHour: Some States Bypass Congress and Create Their Own Versions of the DREAM Act
- Briefs against DACA/DAPA
- DACA Resource Page
- Immigration Executive Actions
- Legal Immigration (click on The Rule of Law: Legal Immigration)
- DREAMers’ Nightmare
- Common Questions on Immigration
- How DACA Impacts the Lives of Those DACAmented
- Immigration Q&A
- The Implications of United States v. Texas
Lindsey Jackson earned a Master’s in English-TESOL from Missouri State University in May 2016. She has an undergraduate degree in English Education from Evangel University and currently teaches English composition for non-native English speakers at Missouri State.
