Undocumented college students’ psychosocial well-being: A systematic review

Undocumented college students account for over 427,000 students (approximately 2%) enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities. The growing body of research on undocumented college students confirms that their well-being is negatively impacted by their immigration status and that many of these students suffer from psychosocial challenges. In this systematic review, we examine the peer-reviewed research …

“When I would hurt”: Undocumented students’ responses to obstacles faced during the college choice process

Educational professionals would benefit from learning more about how the college choice process affects undocumented students’ health. In this study, we analyzed the experiences of undocumented students using the racial battle fatigue concept and identified psychological responses of intensified stress, a threatened sense of belonging, and increased uncertaintiesassociated with their future. We found seven behavioral …

If you fund them, will they come? Examining the role of a graduate fellowship in Ph.D. applications and enrollment

Prior research demonstrates the important role that financial considerations play in prospective students’ decision making when applying to and enrolling in graduate school. Racially/ethnically minoritized students, in particular, face persistent chal- lenges during the graduate application and enrollment process. Capitalizing on a natural experiment, we identify the effects of introducing a PhD fellowship on the …

Examining the undocumented college student policy implementation environment through a contextual interaction theory lens

The higher education policy implementation landscape has substantially shaped postsecondary education opportunities for undocumented youth, who are already negatively affected by discriminatory public policies, and institutional agents, who are often unprepared to address their needs. Guided by Bressers’s contextual interaction theory that identifies the role of contexts, actor characteristics, and social interactions among implementers in …

Policy implementation as a tool for advancing equity in community college

In this introduction, we provide an overview of policy implementation, its current landscape within higher education, and the role it can and must serve for community colleges as a tool to advance equity efforts. The articles in this special issue provide a well-rounded overview of policy implementation efforts across various states and institutions. Authors examine promise programs, equity initiatives, …

Immigration status and psychosocial well-being of college youth

Differences in psychosocial well-being were examined between college students with abject immigration status (i.e., undocumented, other temporary documentation), students with permanent status (i.e., U.S. citizenship, permanent residency), and students with visas using a set of one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs). The data were collected from 76 institutions participating in the Healthy Minds Study during the …

Postsecondary education access (im)possibilities for undocu/DACAmented youth living with the potential elimination of DACA

Undocu/DACAmented youth continue to face exclusionary policies and educational environments that deter their postsecondary education trajectories. This research draws from 32 interviews with parents and undocu/DACAmented youth in Michigan. Of particular interest were participants’ experiences with postsecondary education access since this is one of the first blocked normative rites undocu/DACAmented youth confront. The theory of …

Examining an urban district’s college-going culture: The role of magnet school designation

Inequitable access to postsecondary education continues to persist in many highly segregated, under-resourced urban school districts. This study examined the college-going culture of three urban public secondary schools located in one district, with a close examination of the role magnet and nonmagnet school designations had in shaping college-going culture. Guided by the work of Corwin …

Awakened hatred and heightened fears: “The Trump Effect” on the lives of mixed-status families

The rise of the Trump regime has sparked xenophobic sentiments directed toward and heightened fears experienced by mixed-status immigrant families living in the United States. Using the Southern Poverty Law Center’s concept of “The Trump Effect”—how the election of Donald Trump has had a damaging impact on undocumented immigrants—the researchers reveal how the lives of …

Implementation of public and institutional policies for undocumented and DACAmented students at higher education institutions

We are living at a critical time when the construction of inclusive policies and practices by higher education institutions and institutional agents for students who are undocumented or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status are needed more than ever. While tens of thousands of undocu/DACAmented students are enrolled in higher education institutions, they …