California undergraduate students are 'undocumented and unafraid'

While shooting "This (Illegal) American Life," "Vanguard" filmed dozens of "undocumented and unafraid" college students who traveled to the California state capitol to lobby for a local version of the Dream Act.

In this blog, "Vanguard" assistant producer Lisa Ferguson writes about hearing first-hand about the intense struggles some of these students face in accessing higher education.

In March, I joined about 90 undocumented youth as they boarded a bus and headed north. This wasn’t a trip across the U.S. border - that decision had been made for them years ago. This bus was full of students, and their journey from Los Angeles up to Sacramento was to fight for their education rights.

As a "Vanguard" assistant producer and recent college grad myself, I know money is a common subject of worry. States continue to cut funding for higher education, and with rising tuition, the average debt for an undergraduate is nearing $20,000. But as much as college students struggle to make ends meet, few face the intense challenges of those who are undocumented.

As we filmed, it became clear that money is just the first of these students’ concerns. Many come from low-income households but are ineligible to receive financial aid. They live at home to save money, and without a legal drivers license, some spend hours each day taking public transportation. When it comes time to study for finals, students stay late on campus and find somewhere nearby to sleep. When tuition bills arrive, though, many are forced to take the semester off.

Last year, it seemed like those problems might disappear. The Federal Dream Act would have legalized as many as two million undocumented youth, but it fell short – just five votes away from passing the Senate.

Now, the students have taken the issue into their own hands. Each individual we travelled with approached the microphone at the State Capitol hearing, proudly declared their illegal status, and took a stand for a California version of the Dream Act. They lobbied for two bills – AB 130 and AB 131 – that would help undocumented students qualify for financial aid. It’s only a small step toward legal citizenship, but a vital one.

"When your opportunity to access education is at stake, it is very difficult to restrain yourself," said a student named Sofia.  "The urgency we feel to fight for our rights will not go away until our dignity is recognized."

AB 130 was signed into law in late July, making undocumented students eligible for private scholarships. Access to state financial aid, though, rests on AB 131. That bill is stalled in the State Senate, and several of the students who lobbied for it have already attended their commencement ceremonies.

We all feel some fear at our graduation, when we are no longer protected by classrooms, campus life, and a stable group of peers. When we leave, we face a troubled economy, but at least we have the right to pursue any job or career we choose. That’s not the case for these students, most of whom will be stuck in low wage jobs getting paid under the table.

Many of today’s undocumented youth did not make the choice to come here, but they are living the only way they know how in the only country they call home. These young men and women have survived tuition bills, sleepless study nights, and extensive commute times to earn their status as college graduates. Now, as they leave the safe haven of their universities and enter a world far less tolerant, one very important status is still missing.

For more from "This (Illegal) American Life," see our episode guide.