Approximately 510,000 undocumented students are currently enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, accounting for about 2.4% of the nation’s higher education population (Higher Ed Immigration Portal, 2025). Notably, only about 28% of these students are eligible for or hold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, meaning the majority lack even temporary protections.
Since its creation on June 15, 2012, the DACA program has served as a vital, although temporary, lifeline for eligible undocumented students. While DACA does not confer permanent legal status, it grants eligible undocumented students a two-year, renewable relief from deportation and the ability to work in the United States, which allows some undocumented students to continue their education (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2025). Today, current DACA recipients can still renew their protections, but the door is closed to new applicants, leaving countless undocumented students without protection.
Unfortunately, the lack of a proper legal status is the most significant barrier that undocumented students face when accessing higher education. Undocumented students who reach college or university have already proven themselves academically, as they often enter with higher high school GPAs than their U.S. citizen classmates and are just as prepared as students with legal permanent residency (Hsin & Reed, 2020). Yet, once they arrive at four-year institutions, the challenges they face become far more daunting. Despite their strong preparation, undocumented status casts a long shadow over their college experience, leading to lower graduation rates and GPAs compared to their U.S. citizen peers. The obstacles are clear: ineligibility for federal and state financial aid, uncertainty about job prospects after graduation, the persistent fear of deportation, restrictions on work and residency, and, in many states, excessively high tuition. These barriers largely minimize the academic preparation and excellence undocumented students have demonstrated, making it clear that legal status, not ability, is what holds them back.
Given the barriers undocumented students face due to their status, especially in four-year institutions, it is crucial for faculty to take a stand and support these students. Faculty play a vital role in supporting undocumented students and students from mixed-status families. My Undocumented Life offers several recommendations; it is a key website offering current information and resources for undocumented students, their families, and educators. According to My Undocumented Life, cultivating a truly welcoming campus for undocumented students involves more than just isolated actions. At institutions where support is most evident, faculty are visible allies, signaling their solidarity through posters in their offices and inclusive language in their courses.
In addition, rather than offering solutions in isolation, faculty need to actively foster trust, stay informed about scholarships and community resources, and encourage open dialogue by bringing in speakers with lived immigrant experiences that students can relate to. It is also essential for faculty to create an interconnected network of colleagues who share information and stay current on policy changes, making it easier for students to access critical resources. Ultimately, this culture of support should extend beyond faculty, as postsecondary institutions should collaborate with student-led and grassroots groups and external organizations, ensuring undocumented and mixed-status students are not left to navigate challenges alone.
One example of a collaboration is the 1 in 4 Immigrant Children and Families Project, initiated by the Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR). The 1 in 4 Project is a coordinated effort to protect and advance the well-being of children of immigrants by building a robust ecosystem of research, advocacy, organizing, and philanthropy (Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, 2025b). The goal of the project is to strengthen and coordinate philanthropic efforts supporting organizations that safeguard the rights of immigrant children and their families (Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, 2025a). Currently, there are not many collaborative structures in place to support undocumented students, and this is a key one that involves higher education faculty directly. As teachers of undocumented students and research experts, faculty can make significant contributions to this powerful ecosystem.
Of all the ways faculty can support undocumented students, the most impactful is demonstrating genuine care and empathy for their experiences and struggles. Students who are undocumented or who come from mixed-status families are not only navigating complex emotions of fear, worry, and anxiety, but they are also struggling to be present in school and engage academically. With a lot on their plate and minds, students need to know that faculty will understand if they are late to class, need more time for assignments, or need to stay home because they are afraid that federal immigration enforcement officials might target them or a family member. Students need to feel like their experiences matter and that they are valid enough for their faculty to empathize with.
Through these various support efforts, faculty can make undocumented students feel supported and help them persist in their higher education. Whether it be having red cards available in their offices or keeping up to date with changes in immigration policies, all of these efforts are essential, given the limited policy landscape that undocumented students currently navigate.
References
Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. (2025a). 1 in 4 Project, December 2025 Strategy Session. Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. https://ecfunders.org/event/2025-dec-1in4project-strategysession/
Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. (2025b). 1 in 4 Project Learning Series: Protecting Immigrant Children in Hostile Times. Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. https://ecfunders.org/event/1-in-4-project-learning-series-protecting-immigrant-children-in-hostile-times/
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. (2025). 1 in 4 Immigrant Children and Families Project. Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. https://www.gcir.org/1-4-immigrant-children-and-families-project
Higher Ed Immigration Portal. (2025, October 28). Breakdown of the Undocumented Student Population in U.S. Colleges and Universities. Higher Ed Immigration Portal. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/research/breakdown-of-the-undocumented-student-population-in-u-s-colleges-and-universities/
Hsin, A., & Reed, H. E. (2019). The Academic Performance of Undocumented Students in Higher Education in the United States. International Migration Review, 54(1), 289-315. https://doi.org/10.1177/0197918318825478 (Original work published 2020)
Immigrant Legal Resource Center. (2023). Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas. https://www.ilrc.org/redcards
My Undocumented Life. (2025, January 29). How Faculty and Staff Can Support Undocumented & DACAmented Students Amid Growing Fear and Worry. My Undocumented Life. https://mydocumentedlife.org/2025/01/29/how-faculty-and-staff-can-support-undocumented-dacamented-students-amid-growing-fear-and-worry/
National Immigration Forum. (2025, November 11). Current Status of DACA: Explainer. National Immigration Forum. https://forumtogether.org/article/current-status-of-daca-explainer/
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). (2025, January 24). Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). https://www.uscis.gov/DACA