The Forum on the Future of Higher Education Newsletter (Vol. 4)

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.

Undocumented students face numerous barriers to attending college (Ballerini & Feldblum, 2021), but Illinois House Bill 460, signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in August 2025, may alleviate financial struggles for this population in the realm of postsecondary education, starting in January.

Since the start of September 2025, federal immigration officials have flooded Chicago and its surrounding suburbs in raids dubbed "Operation Midway Blitz," beginning a wave of fear among immigrant communities and undocumented families (Najarro, 2025).

Public debates on immigration often reduce undocumented youth to statistics or political symbols. However, their daily experiences in America's schools reveal a deeper truth: educational environments are shaped by the narratives and assumptions educators hold.

English Learners (ELs) make up a substantial portion of the public school population in the U.S., underscoring the importance of maintaining effective, legally compliant language support services. These demographic realities indicate that ELs must be recognized as a central student population whose needs public schools are responsible for addressing.

Today's threatening immigration enforcement landscape threatens to erode the basic right of public education for every U.S. child regardless of background, legal status, or circumstance. This piece highlights four principles that form a sturdy legal and ethical foundation that is not a political act; it is an act of compliance, professionalism, and moral clarity.