Researchers Estimate 450,000 Undocumented Immigrants are Enrolled in Higher Education

And Democrats want college to be free of charge. Amazing.

Inside Higher Ed reports:

Report Finds Growth in Undocumented Student PopulationUndocumented immigrant students make up about 2 percent of all students enrolled in U.S. higher education, according to a new report released Thursday. All told, researchers estimate 454,000 undocumented immigrant students are enrolled in higher education.”Before now, there has never been a full analysis of how many undocumented students are pursuing higher education in the U.S.,” states the report, which was released by New American Economy (NEA), a research and advocacy organization focused on the impact of immigration on the economy, and the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, an association of college leaders that advocates for welcoming policies for immigrant and international students.”The findings in this report show that far more undocumented students enroll in higher education than was previously thought,” the authors write.The report looks at both traditional college-age and adult immigrant learners. The analysis found that a little fewer than half — 216,000 — of all undocumented immigrant students are eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides work authorization and protection against deportation for certain young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. President Trump has attempted to terminate the DACA program, established by former president Obama in 2012, and the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the continuation of the program this spring.Christian Penichet-Paul, of the Presidents’ Alliance, said the data underscore the need to keep DACA in place as well as the importance of policies that expand access to higher education for undocumented students. These include state-level policies extending in-state tuition rates and access to state financial aid or scholarships to undocumented students.

Tags: College Insurrection, Immigration

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