The Effect of Undocumented Status on Latinx Youth in North American Postsecondary Schooling

This paper, through an accumulation of previously done research, examines the impact of being undocumented in the pursuit and attendance of higher education within the Latinx population that spent their childhood in the United States. The focus on Latinx individuals stems from the fact they make up the majority of the undocumented immigrant population and are often the center of attention in political debates of immigration. An introduction is presented of the experience growing up with an undocumented status, to clarify the access and limitations that undocumented individuals have to education in the United States and how differing legal statuses may affect educational outcomes. Through an ecological framework the role of the undocumented status is then discussed. Three levels are examined: individual characteristics of being undocumented, factors within the campus, and the effect of state and national policies and political climate. The limitations of joining the workforce due to the lack of documents and its role in deterring people from furthering their education and what can be implemented to assist in the integration of these individuals is considered.