Undocumented Student Resources

As a Jesuit, Catholic university we uphold the inherent human dignity of all persons, regardless of their immigration status.  We recognize that our undocumented, immigrant and international students experience challenges beyond those of our traditional students. Loyola is concerned with the education of the whole person and is dedicated to accompanying, supporting, and caring for each member of our community.

Statement of the AJCU Presidents on Undocumented Students (November 30, 2016)

Supporting Undocumented Students in Jesuit Higher Education

A new political landscape in the U.S. has brought with it unique realities for people without documentation, including students at Jesuit colleges and universities. How are faculty and administrators responding to the changing reality facing these students?

Administrators

It is important to understand student expectations: all students want to be respected, valued, included, and welcomed. They also expect that staff members across the university are trained to encourage and uphold equity and inclusion. 

Student affairs professionals and other administrators can have an impact on the college community by modeling openness and developing inclusive campus programming.  For example, staff can lead diversity trainings to increase cultural competencies for student groups upon request; encourage students to initiate conversations about diversity within their organizations; serve as formal and informal advisors to student organizations; provide funding for intergroup partnerships; and recognize inclusive practices through student award ceremonies.

Faculty

Since classrooms are at the heart of student learning, faculty members are key to promoting inclusion on campus. It is important for faculty to revise curricula, teach in more inclusive ways, and examine their own personal biases. In order to be successful, faculty members have to hold each other accountable for these efforts.

The Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University created guidelines for educators teaching in diverse classrooms. These are some of the practices they suggest: incorporating materials that represent a variety of cultures; assigning work from scholars of underrepresented backgrounds; learning how to pronounce student names correctly; and pointing out and discussing culturally insensitive materials that are included in textbooks or learning materials.

Students

Students have significant influence among their peers and can shape the culture of inclusiveness through their social and academic engagements.  By having conversations with one another and trying to understand other people's experiences and perspectives, students can deepen their knowledge of other cultural identities, build bridges across campus, and learn to engage in discussions about often charged topics. Other options include participating in events hosted by groups of different backgrounds (when appropriate) or encouraging collaboration between cultural clubs.

When all college and university constituents — leadership, faculty, and students — come together to foster inclusivity, the result is powerful. Each of us as individuals has to be willing to push back and stand up for those who don’t have a voice, and with that standing up comes the risk of being dismissed. The question is: “Are you willing to take a risk in order to create a more inclusive campus environment?”

What if we all said yes?

Parts of this text are adapted with permission of Dr. Marybeth Gasman, Professor of Higher Education, University of Pennsylvania, Director, Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions

Do’s

• Educate yourself about the legal, social, and mental health risks undocumented students and their families face, as well as the unique challenges of the immigrant experience in the U.S.
• Know the facts about undocumented students, their struggles and resilience
• Identify yourself as an ally and remember that allyship is a responsibility, not a title.
• Connect with other allies, both on and off campus, to help raise awareness for all undocumented people.
• Help to establish safe spaces--which can include classrooms, residence halls, dining halls, and even social media--where undocumented students can learn and engage without fear and intimidation.
• Be aware of your own assumptions regarding immigrants and how they may impact your interactions with these members of our community.
• If you are an American citizen, be mindful of the privilege that this status holds and recognize that the opportunities afforded to you are not necessarily available to everyone.

Don’ts

• Don’t assume that all immigrants are undocumented.
• Don’t say “illegal” or “illegal aliens.” Rather, say “undocumented,” “unauthorized,” or “people without documents.”
• Don’t ask undocumented students to self-identify and don’t out people who are undocumented.
• Don’t ask immigrant or undocumented students to share their lived experience within the classroom or social setting.
• Don’t provide legal advice to undocumented students if you have any uncertainties about the information you are providing. Refer students to individuals and/or organizations with expertise in this area, such as Sunanda Bhatia, the Director of International Student Services (410-617-5245).
• Don’t reveal an individual’s status or answer any questions in the case of an on campus search by a federal agency. Simply contact campus police (410-617-5911) as they are trained to respond in such situations.

Whether you or someone that you care deeply for is undocumented, we want you to know that Loyola supports you. This page outlines the mental health impact that documentation status can have on individuals, both their challenges and triumphs.   

Strength and Resilience 

Despite the numerous obstacles that undocumented students face, many of them also exhibit profound resilience and perseverance in their academic and personal lives. Experts define resilience as the process of triumphing over the negative effects of certain risk factors. For undocumented students, those risk factors could include:

• Elevated feelings of societal and institutional rejection
• Low parental education
• High employment hours during school (Perez, Espinoza, Ramos, Coronado, and Cortes)

Resilience is often dependent on the subsistence of protective factors in students’ lives that help them to draw on their own strength and determination. These protections, which can be both personal and environmental, include:

• Student’s belief in her own potential and academic abilities
• Supportive parents, families, and friends
• Encouragement from faculty and staff
• Involvement in extracurricular activities and community service (Perez, Espinoza, Ramos, Coronado, and Cortes)

Undocumented students who have these protections are more likely to become high academic achievers. Creating a supportive, inclusive, and informed environment at Loyola is thus essential to helping our undocumented students draw on their own strength and resilience in the face of adversity. 

Immigration Related Stress

If you are an undocumented/unauthorized student, you are not alone. Approximately 200,000–225,000 undocumented individuals are enrolled in higher education in the U.S., representing about 2% of all college students (Suárez-Orozco et al., 2015). Difficulties that undocumented students face could include:

• Financial distress
• Discrimination
• Having a family that is mixed-status

Many undocumented students experience financial distress when applying for or attending a college or university and their status may limit their access to information and resources regarding financial aid. This financial distress may also affect their academic success if a student has to hold multiple jobs to pay for tuition or even to contribute to the family income. Many undocumented students do not feel comfortable discussing financial matters with university administrators or faculty (Collier & Morgan, 2008).

Discrimination contributes to undocumented students’ reticence. An estimated 67% of undocumented students experienced discrimination in 2015.

In addition to financial distress and discrimination, undocumented students might face the difficulty of having a mixed-status family. A mixed-status family is a family with some members who are undocumented and others who are documented. This phenomenon can increase a student’s anxiety because of the aggressive deportation tactics that have been in place since 9/11 (Kanstroom, 2007). Deportation tears families apart, and a student’s fear of this possibility can lead to stress, anxiety, and even depression (Contreras, 2009; Garcia & Tierney, 2011; Perez, 2009; Perry, 2006).

Denice Frohman, “Borders” video

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health conditions on college campuses across the U.S. (ADAA). Students who are undocumented or have undocumented family members or close friends may be at a higher risk for developing an anxiety disorder. Studies have shown that the number of undocumented students who have reported experiencing levels of anxiety above the clinical cutoff is significantly higher than that of the general population (Zenin Jaimes Pérez). Students concerned about their own or loved ones’ status may develop high levels of anxiety in response to fears of whom to trust, and feelings of uncertainty, despair, marginalization, and even shame (Pérez, Cortés, Ramos, Coronado).

General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive anxiety or worry that interferes with work, school, and/or social activities. Symptoms of GAD include:

• Restlessness or feeling on edge
• Being easily fatigued
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Muscle tension and aches
• Sleep disturbance (trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or restless sleep) (ADAA)

Undocumented students or especially those with mixed-status families may also experience Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Living with the constant fear that a loved one may be deported and blocked from legal reentry can lead to excessive distress when away from home. SAD is characterized by a constant focus and worry placed on another person or persons. Symptoms of SAD include:

• The desire to constantly check on the whereabouts of loved ones
• Being overly protective of loved ones
• The experience of physical pain in the event of separation

Finally, undocumented students who have experienced a forced separation from loved ones or other distressing situations related to their migration or status may suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is diagnosed if an individual experiences symptoms at least one month after a traumatic event, or even several months or years later. Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Re-experiencing the traumatic event through distressing recollections, flashbacks, and nightmares
• Emotional numbness
• Avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the traumatic event
• Difficulty sleeping, concentrating, and irritability (ADAA)

Seeking professional help can be difficult for undocumented students or students with undocumented loved ones. Yet it is also difficult to cope with anxiety disorders alone. The first and most important step to managing anxiety is to identify communities of support and trust. Those communities can be as small as your parents or family, or it can include peer groups, faculty, student affairs professionals, and the Counseling Center. 

Depression 

While many people suffer from depression, there are specific experiences shared by undocumented students that may contribute to or exacerbate depressive symptoms. For instance, they may develop feelings of social isolation because of their need to keep secrets about their own or loved ones’ documentation status. This sense of isolation can be compounded by feelings of disconnection from one’s native culture or even family members who were left behind.

In addition to experiencing social isolation, undocumented students may also feel voiceless and invisible in the U.S. because of their status, which can lead to a profound sense of hopelessness.

Some students do not learn about their documentation status until they are entering college. This discovery can lead to potential disappointment and despair regarding their future plans. Finally, many undocumented students also experience feelings of shame and decreased self-worth because of their status.

In sum, symptoms of depression that might be most poignant for undocumented students include:

• Social isolation
• A sense of loss regarding one’s native culture and family members who were left behind
• Voicelessness and invisibility
• Emotional avoidance and displacing negative feelings and experiences onto others
• Feeling that one’s hopes for the future have been shattered (Ellis and Chen, 2013)

Do keep in mind that these feelings often worsen the longer they are kept inside.  If you or a loved one are experiencing feelings of depression, it is important to talk to someone that you can trust.

Impact on Relationships 

The immigration process, both legal and undocumented, often requires temporary separation from family members. Whether parents travel prior to sending for their children or siblings are separated in the process, the “piecemeal migration” of families has been a long-standing aspect of the immigration experience. This separation can impact the closeness of relationships between family members in both positive and negative ways.

Many undocumented students are part of “mixed-status” families; that is, families that are made up of some individuals who are American citizens or have legal documentation and some who do not. All members of mixed-status families, regardless of their own citizenship status, are impacted by the challenges of being undocumented in the United States. Fear and risk of deportation make it difficult to trust people outside of the familial network. The fear of deportation of undocumented parents of citizen children also restricts access to healthcare and leads to increased experiences of anxiety disorders for their children such as separation anxiety  (Zayas, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Yoon, & Rey, 2015). Moreover, researchers have found that citizen children who have experienced a parent’s detention have elevated distress and are more likely to display symptoms of depression, anxiety, behavioral challenges and ADHD (Zayas, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Yoon, & Rey, 2015).

Members of a family may also vary in language fluency. Many children of immigrants become more fluent in the English language than their parents, which may lead those parents to depend on their children when communicating with schools and workplaces and when filling out legal documents. Being aware of their parents’ financial, legal, or medical difficulties can be distressing for young people.

Finally, navigating college applications, financial aid documents, and the academic world may require more self-dependence and reliance for the children of immigrant parents who are unfamiliar with these systems. 

Social and Romantic Relationships 

Loyola’s Committee for Undocumented People Impacted by Immigration

These individuals are part of UNIDA, the United Network for Immigrants, DREAMers, and Allies.

* indicates that this individual is a confidential resource on campus 

UNIDA Members

Member	Department	Email	Phone Number
Ejuma Adoga	Student Support and Wellness Promotion	ceadoga@loyola.edu	410-617-2613
Kourtney Bennett*	Counseling Center	kbennett@loyola.edu	410-617-227
Sunanda Bhatia*	OISS	skbhatia@loyola.edu	410-617-5245
Milton Bravo	VP for Mission & Identity	mjbravo@loyola.edu	410-617-2334
Pat Cassidy	LGBTQ+ Student Services	pjcassidy@loyola.edu	410-617-2112
Heidi Fuentes	Dean of Undergraduate Studies	hlfuentes@loyola.edu	410-617-2908
Jessica David*	Counseling Center	jldavid@loyola.edu	410-617-2999
Emily Kane	Campus Ministry	eekane@loyola.edu	410-617-2894
Stephen Park	English Department	smpark@loyola.edu	41-617-2497
Rodney Parker	Cheif Equity and Inclusion Officer	rparker1@loyola.edu	410-617-2201
Dennis Velez	Thrive Center for Student Success	dvelez@loyola.edu	410-617-2004
Bennie Williams	Residence Life and Housing	bwilliams8@loyola.edu	410-617-2287

Resources in the Baltimore community include, but are not limited to:

• The Esperanza Center, 430 S. Broadway, Baltimore MD 21231. The Esperanza Center is a comprehensive immigrant resource center that offers hope and essential services to people who are new to the U.S. Their dedicated staff and volunteers provide services and referrals, ESL education, healthcare, and low-cost immigration legal services. Please note: The Esperanza Center's services will be temporarily relocated at St. Patrick’s Assisi House, 1728 Bank St. Please call 667-600-2900 for additional information.
• CASA de Maryland, 2224 East Fayette Street, Baltimore MD 21231. CASA de Maryland seeks to create a more just society by improving the quality of life in low-income immigrant communities.
• Immigration Outreach Service Center, 5401 Loch Raven Blvd., Baltimore MD 21239. The Immigration Outreach Service Center at St. Matthew Catholic Church is for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, regardless of status or ethnicity. The Center was established in response to the immigration needs of many of its parishioners. Today, the center is an independent non-profit organization that has served over 4000 people.
• Creative Alliance
• Friends of Patterson Park

Helpful Online Resources

• ISN UndocuNetwork
  • Established in 2020 to provide a space for students and recent alumni connected to Jesuit colleges and universities and other ISN partners, identifying as undocumented, with DACA or TPS, or in mixed-status families to gather to build community, share concerns, and seek advice within an unconditionally safe place.
• Know Your Rights
• 50-State Family Emergency Planning
• Legal Services Directory
• DACA Data Tools by State and County (Migration Policy Institute)
• What Do I Need To Know About The End of DACA?
• Audio Stories: Listen to Voices
• Additional DACA Resources

Resources at Loyola University Maryland include, but are not limited to:

• Counseling Center 
• Campus Ministry 
• Office of International Student Services 
• Thrive Center for Student Success
• ALANA Mentoring Program (AMP)

 

Upcoming Events

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