Schools are trying to get ahead of Trump and protect undocumented students
Source: USA Today
Published 12:14 p.m. ET Jan. 14, 2025 | Updated 12:19 p.m. ET Jan. 14, 2025
As Donald Trump’s second term approaches, colleges and K-12 schools are taking steps to shield undocumented students from possible changes to immigration policy that could impact their education. Officials from universities across the country convened virtually last week with immigration advocates to discuss how to respond to the incoming administration’s stance regarding the approximately 400,000 undocumented students enrolled in higher education.
Trump pledged on the campaign trail he'd carry out mass deportations in a second term. He then suggested in December he supported deporting mixed-status families – in which family members have differing legal statuses in the U.S. – even if some are citizens.
“The only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together,” Trump said in a television interview, “and you have to send them all back.”
That rhetoric has created questions about possible guardrails for protecting student data and applying for college financial aid. It has also sparked a larger debate about where immigration enforcement should and shouldn't occur. The angst comes after a challenging year for students from mixed-status families, who experienced unique obstacles trying to get help paying for college amid a crisis in the federal financial aid system.
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/01/14/schools-undocumented-students-trump/77576888007/