Journal/ReactionPaper:
Research the below topics- write a 2 page reflection of your learning and include any experiences you’ve had with this population. Include any questions you have to approach working with the given population. Consider the following questions:
1. What are the issues that this population encounters?
1. What socio-emotional issues does this population have to deal with?
1. What, if any, are the academic implications?
1. What can you do to best serve the population better?
1. Why is it important to serve this population?
Topics
Support Staff working with Undocumented Students
Article 4
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School Counselors Working With Undocumented Students
Stephaney S. Morrison, Cynthia T. Walley, Carolina P. Perez, Sarai Rodriquez,
Indra Halladeen, and Vanessa Burdier
Morrison, Stephaney S., PhD, is an assistant professor at Hunter College. Dr.
Morrison was an elementary/junior high school counselor in her native country,
Jamaica. Her research is focused on issues that impact Caribbean immigrant families
and children; specifically, the academic, socio-emotional, and career/college issues
of Caribbean immigrant children living in the United States. Dr. Morrison also
researches school counselor preparation in working with immigrants.
Walley, Cynthia T., PhD, LPC, Mercy College, is a school counselor educator. She is
involved in research regarding undocumented students and school counselor
preparation regarding college and career initiatives in New York.
Perez, Carolina P., is a master’s level school counseling student at Hunter College. A
formerly undocumented student, she works with immigrant students to help ease
their transition to the United States’ educational system by providing them with
information and resources necessary for success. Her passion is to research and
advocate for the rights of undocumented students and families.
Rodriguez, Sarai, is a master’s level mental health counseling student at Hunter
College. Her academic interests include determining key differences in the impulse
control region of the brain in individuals with personality disorders when compared
with those who are classified as neurotypical in order to improve upon or develop
more effective treatment plans.
Halladeen, Indra, is a master’s level school counseling student at Hunter College.
Her interests include immigrant students’ adjustment.
Burdier, Vannessa, MS, is a school counselor for grades 6–9 at The Young Women’s
Leadership School of Queens. Burdier works with adolescents and immigrant
families with a focus on instilling self-advocacy skills, confidence, and self-worth in
young people of color.
Abstract
Undocumented students and their families constitute a large segment of the U.S.
population. Research has shown that these students face many obstacles, especially
as it relates to their academic, socio-emotional and career/college advancement. The
authors discuss the various obstacles faced by undocumented students as they pursue
public K–12 education and college access. School counselors are critical to
undocumented students’ success; therefore, the authors describe several strategies to
use when working with this population.
Keywords: undocumented students, immigrant families, college/career access,
immigrants’ academic and socio-emotional issues
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It is projected that by the year 2040, one in every three children in the United
States will grow up in an immigrant household (Suárez-Orozco, Suárez-Orozco, &
Todorova, 2008). Several authors estimated that in 2015 immigrant children would
represent 30% of all students in the United States (Fix & Passel, 2003; Perez, 2010).
Based on recent immigration data, approximately 5.5 million children under the age of 1
8
live in an undocumented household and an estimated 1.5 million undocumented school-
aged children (under 18) live in the United States (American Immigration Council, 2007;
Passel & Cohn, 2009). Regardless, the increasing number of undocumented children
within our schools, along with the distinct barriers they face, makes it essential for school
counselors to be ready and willing to learn how to systematically handle their inimitable
circumstances (Gonzales, 2010). School counselors need to know that not all immigrant
children and families enter the United States legally. In fact, there are a number of
families with undocumented status; that is, foreign persons who entered the United States
with fraudulent documents or who entered legally as non-immigrants but violated the
terms of their visa status and remained in the United States without authorization
(National Immigration Law Center, 2011). There is a misconception that most, if not all,
undocumented immigrants/students are Latinos/Hispanic; however, immigrant families
are from various ethnicities, and their undocumented status affects them just as much as
those in the Hispanic/Latino population (Chan, 2010).
The school system is the most important institution in the lives of undocumented
immigrant children, where students’ experiences can either mimic the negative social
inequalities faced outside of school or equalize them (Bruno, 2011; Morrison & Bryan,
2014). Additionally, the school is the place where adolescents experience the
developmental stages where they gain independence but still require guidance from
adults (Gildersleeve & Ranero, 2010). Schools are the first place in which students
develop relationships with adults other than their families (Gonzales, 2010). School
counselors are critical in providing services to undocumented students. They are the main
individuals who will have the necessary skills to attend to the academic, socio-emotional,
and career advancement services given to undocumented immigrant families and
children. However, school counselors who work with undocumented students may not be
aware of the challenges that these students face or of the options available to them (Lad
& Braganza, 2013). Given the centrality of family to a students’ lives, counselors may
not be skilled in the area of family counseling. According to the 20/20 Principles for
Unifying and Strengthening the Profession (Kaplan & Gladding, 2011), counselors must
be committed to being culturally competent. Therefore, school counselors need to have
knowledge of the varied issues and challenges faced by undocumented immigrant
families, in addition to the specific challenges faced by undocumented immigrant
children.
Unfortunately, much of the literature on how school counselors work with
undocumented immigrant children is limited, and up to this point, there are no studies
directly focusing on school counselors’ role in meeting the needs of undocumented
children and families. This paucity of literature suggests that school counselors have little
information to guide them in addressing the needs of undocumented immigrant children
(Chen, Budianto, & Wong, 2010; Morrison & Bryan, 2014). Further, it is imperative that
school counselors are aware of the various options available to undocumented students,
especially as it relates to career/college attainment. This article introduces some of the
Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS 2016
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academic, socio-emotional, and career-related challenges faced by undocumented
immigrant children and provides strength-based strategies for school counselors who
work with them. First, we discuss academic, career/college and socio-emotional
challenges faced by undocumented students. Second, we examine pertinent state and
federal laws impacting undocumented students. Finally, the article concludes with a brief
overview of the school counselor’s role and provides strategies for working with
undocumented students.
Challenges Faced by Undocumented Students
Academic
Education is the path to prosperity and many times the only means out of poverty
for undocumented youth, yet their educational journey is filled with obstacles and
challenges (Morrison & Bryan, 2014; Nienhusser, 2013). Many undocumented immigrant
families come to the United States based on their need for educational and economic
development (Morrison & Bryan, 2014; Morrison, Steele, & Henry, 2015). However,
undocumented students have arguably greater needs and are predominantly vulnerable to
legal and financial constraints (Gonzales, 2010). A circumstance unique to undocumented
families is the educational attainment level of parents’ ages 25–64 years. For instance,
29% of undocumented parents have less than a ninth-grade education, compared to 2% of
their native counterparts, while 18% of undocumented parents have some high school
education compared to 6% of their native counterparts (Passel & Cohn, 2009). Although
they often see schools as a refuge (Hooker, McHugh, & Mathay, 2015), many parents
with limited education cannot advocate for their children’s education (Suárez-Orozco et
al., 2010) and may be afraid to seek assistance from school counselors because of their
immigrant status (Fix & Passel, 2003).
Another issue that is important to note is that some parents of undocumented
children seldom speak American Standard English or understand the American education
system (Pang et al., 2010). Lad and Braganza (2013) noted that most undocumented
immigrant students report having difficulty completing homework due to the fact that
parents are unable to help due to language barriers or having no formal education. The
lack of guidance through important transitions has potentially disastrous effects
(Gonzales, 2010; Suárez-Orozco et al., 2010). Parents’ educational level is related to their
family’s poverty level. Importantly, undocumented students often face increased chances
of living below the poverty level. In 2007, 32% of undocumented children with
unauthorized parents were living below the poverty line, compared to 10% of U.S born
children and their parents, while 45% of undocumented children did not have health
insurance (Passel & Cohn, 2009). Children living in poverty is attributed to physical and
behavioral health problems and school difficulties (Rank, 2010). Furthermore, children
living in poverty are more likely to attend schools that lack resources and rigor, have
fewer opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities or to take advanced level
classes, become teen parents, and earn less or be unemployed as adults (UNICEF, 2000;
Webb & Thomas, 2015). Thus, poverty and undocumented status is an overarching issues
that impacts the academic, socio-emotional, and college/career advancement of
undocumented students.
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Secondary school. According to Fix and Passel (2003), there are more
undocumented immigrant children in our secondary schools than elementary schools.
However, secondary schools are most times less prepared to and/or less equipped to teach
content, language, and literacy (Hooker et al., 2015). Based on this issue, it is important
that school counselors understand these deficiencies, because the high rate of dropouts
among undocumented students has significant impact in adulthood. For example, 40% of
undocumented immigrants aged 18–24 have not completed high school, compared to
15% of legal immigrants and 8% of those born in the United States (Passel & Cohn,
2009). Passel and Cohn (2009), further argued that the age of arrival of undocumented
immigrant children to the United States correlates to the likelihood of higher educational
attainment. While older children between 18–24 years have high dropout rates, younger
children have a higher chance to graduate high school and attend college. Diaz-Strong,
Gomez, Luna-Duarte, and Meiners (2010) also noted that although undocumented
children struggle academically, they often demonstrate high interest in their education, as
well as demonstrate interest in various aspects of their community and school activities.
Further, as a result of poverty and lack of resources, many times students not only have
responsibilities with school, but also significant responsibilities at home that impact their
educational attainment (Perez, 2009).
College/Career
The Plyer v. Doe case of 1982 determined that all children, including
undocumented children, are entitled to access K–12 public education (Lopez, 2004).
Although undocumented students have access to K–12 education, many find themselves
immobile with uncertainty regarding their future and higher education (Perez, 2009). It is
estimated that about 65,000 undocumented students who have lived in the United States
graduate from high school, but due to the many barriers, only a fraction attend college
(Cortes, 2013). Of all high school undocumented graduates between the ages of 18–24,
only 49% attend college, compared to 71% of their native counterparts (Passel & Cohn,
2009). Admirably, research shows that college-eligible undocumented students exhibit
academic achievement, leadership, and civic engagement levels that are often greater
than their U.S. born counterparts (Perez, 2010).
Although no federal law prohibits undocumented students from continuing on to
higher education, their circumstances make it nearly impossible to feel at ease when
thinking about college (Diaz-Strong et al., 2010). Thus, poverty places limits on what
they can do. For example, one of the most cited reasons why undocumented students do
not attend college is based on their financial circumstances (Lopez, 2004). Several
researchers mentioned that undocumented students do not qualify for financial aid, loans,
and many scholarships (Gonzales, 2010; Nienhusser, 2013; Perez, 2010). It is important
that school counselors are aware of these financial limitations in order to provide
responsive services that can give undocumented students access to postsecondary
education.
Socio-Emotional
As stated earlier, undocumented students need support and assistance with regards
to their academics and career/college success. Lack of support (Gonzales, 2010),
environmental circumstances, and poverty exacerbate one’s mental health well-being in
Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS 2016
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schools (Walley, Grothaus, & Craigen, 2009). One impact on their social well-being is
the fact that most undocumented immigrant youths tend to grow up thinking of
themselves as Americans, yet live as outsiders without basic resources such as driver’s
licenses, opportunities for legal employment, and financial aid (Perez, 2009).
Furthermore, they live in constant fear of deportation (Perez, 2010), and most often live
in hiding. They tend to hide their immigrant status from school personnel due to fear of
repercussions (Chan, 2010). The unique experiences faced by undocumented children
outside of the school building may shape their lives and affect their academic and career
advancement as well. Further, many times undocumented immigrant students face racism
and poverty throughout their precollege experience, which exacts a toll on mental health
and contributes to higher academic costs (Gildersleeve & Ranero, 2010; Walley et al.,
2009). According to Dougherty, Nienhusser, & Vega, 2010), students often feel afraid to
share too much information due to being afraid of deportation.
Most times, undocumented immigrant students feel as if they are unable to
participate in society for a number of reasons. They feel hopeless about their future and
do not have the self-efficacy that is necessary to continue on to college. They feel a great
sense of loneliness because they lack the social capital to develop relationships outside of
their circle (Kim, 2010). Therefore, if they are a newcomer undocumented immigrant,
especially for those who do not speak Standard American English, making new friends
presents obvious difficulties (Morrison & Bryan, 2014). As a result, undocumented
immigrant children limit their contact only to students from their own country of origin
(Suárez-Orozco et al., 2010). Furthermore, they feel unable to obtain desirable
employment and fully plan for the future, which contributes to students disengaging from
their academic careers (National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL], 2011).
Laws Impacting Undocumented Students
There are a few laws that impact undocumented students’ academic, socio-
emotional, and career/college futures. First, the Higher Education Act (1965), the Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA; 1996), and the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA; 1996) all put
constraints on undocumented students and their families. These laws prohibit
undocumented students and families from receiving any form of federal funding (e.g.,
financial aid, work study, grants, loans, food stamps, health care, etc.; NCSL, 2011).
Thus, the lack of financial aid and other federal resources creates a burden on families
who may already be within the clutches of poverty. However, in response to these laws,
tuition equity legislation has been passed around the country (Nava, 2013). Second,
tuition equity laws are intended to extend in-state tuition rates to undocumented students
based upon high school graduation versus residency and immigration status (Nienhusser,
2013). Currently, 20 states have made important steps to lessen the financial burden
leveled unto families regarding college tuition. Thus, in-state tuition gives undocumented
students the opportunity and possibility of going to college as well as lessening the
financial burden placed upon families. However, in order for students to take advantage
of tuition equity policies, they typically must be a Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) recipient (Hooker et al., 2015).
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Third, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is another policy that has
implications for undocumented students and families. This deferred action policy was
first introduced (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services [USCIS], 2015) after the
DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act) was not passed
in Congress. Deferred action refers to the use of prosecutorial discretion to defer
immigration removal actions against individuals who meet specific criteria for a limited
period of time. School counselors should be aware of the following DACA requirements,
since most undocumented students qualify:
● be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
● came to the United States before reaching the age of 16;
● continuous residence in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to
present time of application;
● be physically present in the United States June 15, 2012, and at the time of
application;
● have no lawful status on June 15, 2012;
● be currently enrolled in school, graduated, or received a general education
development (GED) certificate, or received an honorary discharge from
the military; and
● have no felonies, or significant misdemeanors. Applicants must be able to
provide evidence for all these guidelines, proof of identity, and be at least
15 years old at time of application (unless they are in removal
proceedings). Additionally, they must pay an application fee (USCIS,
2015).
Currently, over 600,000 undocumented persons have been approved for DACA
(American Immigration Council, 2014). Those who are granted DACA receive work
authorization and can apply for a social security number. It must be noted that the social
security number is only for employment and cannot be used to apply for federal or state
financial aid.
Role of the School Counselor and Strategies for Working
With Undocumented Students
Role of the School Counselor
According to the American School Counselor Association (2013), being aware of
the national, state and local requirements and programs that impact future endeavors are
one aspect of the school counselor’s role. School counselors are obligated to provide
comprehensive services to all of their students, including those who may be
undocumented (Mainer, 2013). School counselors have an important role in the
academic, socio-emotional, and career success of students; they have the unique
opportunity and ability to shape underserved students’ school experience, academic
success, and their college choice process (Nienhusser, 2013). Furthermore, school
counselors are the frontline mental health professionals for all of their students and
families (Borders, 2002; Walley & Grothaus, 2013). The networks between peers, school
officials, and students have the potential to empower minority students to access essential
social capital plus give access to necessary resources for school success (Gonzales,
2010). It is important for school counselors to be involved and proactive with helping and
Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS 2016
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guiding undocumented students. This makes it particularly important for school
counselors to be ready and willing to learn about and help undocumented students in their
schools.
Strategies for Working With Undocumented Students
In order to effectively help undocumented immigrant students in the school
setting, school counselors must understand the daily struggles that undocumented
students and their families face. Due to the limited literature regarding school counselors
working with undocumented students and families, the following recommendations have
been compiled and developed to assist school counselors as they attend to the academic,
socio-emotional, and career/college needs of undocumented students.
There are a few academic recommendations that the authors believe can be
helpful to school counselors when working with undocumented students. First, school
counselors can become mentors (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2010); they can engage students
by using active listening skills and providing pertinent information to students about
academics and career. Second, school counselors can pay extra attention to students
transitioning out of the safety of their ESL classes and into rigorous programs. School
counselors should ensure there is extra support provided to students such as tutoring by
teachers, homework assistance and/or test modifications (Hooker et al., 2015). For
undocumented students who speak varied dialects from their native country, yet do not
qualify for ESL (e.g., some students from English speaking Caribbean countries), school
counselors can advocate for academic and community support such as partnering with
organizations and individuals who can mentor and provide tutoring, so that students can
learn American Standard English (Morrison &Bryan, 2014). School counselors can
provide one-on-one counseling with undocumented students and families (Perez, 2010),
as well as group counseling designed specifically to help undocumented students process
their experiences as immigrants and minorities. For example, a group comprised of
undocumented immigrant students with similar experiences would provide opportunity
for self-disclosure, catharsis, and an experience of universality (Glasgow & Gouse-
Sheese, 1995). Further, group counseling is ideal to ease some of the marginalization and
create a support setting (Chen, Budianto, & Wong, 2010).
When working with parents, school counselors can teach parents about the
differences between the U.S. educational system and that of their home countries and the
importance of education in order to gain wealth (Lad & Braganza, 2013; Morrison &
Bryan, 2014). Since undocumented youth may have difficulty planning for the future,
counselors should work with students to address long-term as well as short-term goals
with students, educating them on available resources. In addition, counselors should
make students aware of the resources available to them today and educate them on how
to advocate for a better tomorrow (Diaz-Strong et al., 2010). By catering to all immigrant
families, school counselors can provide for undocumented immigrants, regardless of
whether the families come forward. Building an environment that is friendly to
undocumented immigrants could open the door for these families to feel safe and trust the
school counselor (Morrison & Bryan, 2014). In the situation where school counselors are
aware of these families, it would be beneficial for school counselors to take on the role of
mentors for undocumented students. In almost every case of academic improvement, a
mentor was involved in helping to change the student’s academic trajectory (Kim, 2010).
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These individuals who become mentors bridge the gap that is created between home and
school and at times help transition into the new country (Lopez, 2004). School counselors
need to encourage parents’ confidence by providing orientation to the U.S. school
system. Mitchell (2005) argued that many undocumented immigrant families see school
counselors and teachers as surrogate parents and may not want to intervene if a decision
has been made about their children. School counselors must teach parents advocacy skills
to boost their confidence in taking a proactive role in their children’s education (Mitchell,
2005; Morrison & Bryan, 2014).
Regarding the socio-emotional recommendations, school counselors must aim to
be culturally competent in order to attend to the individualistic needs of students. School
counselors, in their efforts to become culturally competent, must examine their biases and
prejudices about immigrant children and families to appropriately help undocumented
students (Morrison, Smith, Bryan, & Steele, in press). School counselors should be
sensitive to the needs of undocumented students (Perez, 2010). They should provide
services to undocumented students, such as psychoeducational workshops that focus on
anxiety, depression, alienation and stress management, and create an environment where
students feel free to open up about their personal issues (Navarrete, 2013). In addition,
since many undocumented youths do not learn of their status until high school, school
counselors may encounter cases where the students are unaware of their immigration
status; in these cases, school counselors may help students to discuss their status with
their families (Mainer, 2013). If school counselors are aware of undocumented students’
status, they should speak to undocumented students who normally would not seek
guidance due to being afraid of coming out as undocumented for fear of being deported
(Dougherty et al., 2010). Since mental health is considered a crucial component of a
school counselor’s role, especially during secondary school (Walley et al., 2009),
counselors must be aware of students’ fears and must spend time explaining and
reassuring undocumented youth about confidentiality (Chen, Budianto, & Wong, 2010).
Lastly, there are several college and career strategies that school counselors can
employ to support undocumented youths. School counselors are in a critical position to
both provide career and college resources and support these students. Further, providing
information and support for this population can lead to good mental health (Hooker et al.,
2015). School counselors who work on college transition must make their students and
their families aware of their rights, resources available, as well as responsibilities. It is
important for school counselors to be aware of situations undocumented students and
their families might face in their transition out of high school and form strength-based
conversations of post-secondary transitions (Mainer, 2013). School counselors could also
encourage high performing undocumented students to take as many advanced placement
(AP) courses, or others similar, to fulfill college general requirements and alleviate future
costs (e.g., dual enrollment; Perez, 2010). Undocumented students are continuously
discouraged by the lack of job opportunities available to them after graduation. School
counselors may also take on the role of institutional agent (Perez et al., 2010). This role
may include organizing civic engagements, multicultural services, political coalitions,
and support programs. School counselors must be aware of resources available to
undocumented students and provide such information to them, as well as provide support
during their college choice process (Perez, 2010). Additionally, school counselors should
set up workshops and/or conferences for undocumented students and their families to
Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS 2016
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learn how to get into college, navigate college, and hear stories of other undocumented
college students (Perez, 2010). Thus, starting this process early in the students’
educational program (e.g., elementary school) could be beneficial, especially as their
parents learn about the U.S. educational system. Lastly, and very importantly, as stated
earlier, school counselors should link students to outside/community agencies that can
provide further resources (Nienhusser, 2013). DACA is time limited and once the Obama
Administration leaves office, there is no guarantee what will happen with the deferred
action. Nevertheless, there are many benefits for obtaining DACA status for students and
family members. Obtaining a social security number and a work permit opens many
doors for undocumented youth, creating opportunities that could potentially change a
person’s future. According to Gonzales, Terriquez, and Ruszczyk (2014), DACA status
beneficiaries take steps to becoming more economically and socially integrated into the
United States. In addition, recipients obtain new jobs and increase their earnings, obtain
internships, open bank accounts, obtain credit cards and driver’s licenses, and are able to
submit applications for health care. Furthermore, DACA may ease some of the negative
aspects of illegality, thus relieving anxieties, decreasing fear correlated to deportation,
positively affecting their emotional well-being (Navarrete, 2013), and increasing the
possibility of more undocumented youth enrolling in postsecondary education (Cortes,
2013).
Conclusion
Undocumented students face unique obstacles to access of academic,
career/college, advancement and socio-emotional well-being. This article discussed
relevant information pertaining to the challenges faced by undocumented immigrant
students in the United States. It is important to understand that undocumented status
exacerbates challenges that are experienced by undocumented immigrant students and
contributes to their poverty level. Challenges include low socioeconomic status and lack
of parental educational attainment and support. Additionally, high dropout rates and
current policies and laws put considerable constraints on undocumented students and
their families. Although the issues discussed in this article are by far not the only ones
that challenge this particular immigrant group, this article serves as a starting point to
educate and more fully engage school counselors. The strategies provided herein are
rooted in multicultural and social justice counseling principles and are used to garner
increased awareness and support for undocumented immigrant students’ and parents’
needs. It is hoped that school counselors will use these strategies as guidelines for work
with an increasing influx of undocumented students and families with varied needs.
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Note: This paper is part of the annual VISTAS project sponsored by the American Counseling Association.
Find more information on the project at: http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas
