Study Notes on the Challenges Faced by DACA Youth in North Carolina

"It's Like We Are Legally, Illegal": Latino/a Youth Emphasize Barriers to Higher Education Using Photovoice

Overview

  • Authors: Kashika Mohan Sahay, Kari Thatcher, Cruz Núñez, Alexandra Lightfoot from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

  • Focus: The experiences of undocumented immigrant youth regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and its implications for their educational aspirations in North Carolina.

Introduction to DACA

  • DACA provides opportunities for advancement to undocumented youth, allowing them certain privileges but also presenting challenges due to its state-by-state implementation.

  • Research Question: "How does being an undocumented Latino/a affect my aspirations for higher education?"

  • Method: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology using photovoice to document participants' perspectives on their experiences.

    • Photovoice: A qualitative research method using photography to engage participants in documenting and analyzing concerns.

  • Findings highlight daily challenges faced by DACA youth in North Carolina and show how DACA complicates educational ambitions.

The High School Journal - Fall 2016 Perspective

Personal Perspective

  • A personal narrative from a 19-year-old male DACA recipient from Mexico, illustrating the struggles faced in pursuing higher education.

    • Parents emphasized the importance of education despite their own struggles.

    • Experience of feeling like a failure despite hard work and academic success due to residency status limitations.

    • The participant expressed frustration at high educational investments going to waste because of inability to access higher education due to lack of citizenship.

Context

National Statistics

  • Only 26% of non-U.S. born Hispanic youth ages 18-24 enroll in college compared to 56% of U.S.-born Hispanic counterparts (Zimmerman, 2011).

    • Barriers include:

      • Limited access to informational resources on college applications and financial aid (Gonzales, 2010).

      • Lack of access to in-state tuition rates.

  • Plyler v. Doe (1982): Supreme Court decision ensuring undocumented students have the right to public K-12 education.

  • DACA's complexity stems from its status as a presidential executive action rather than a law, making it temporary and without a path to citizenship.

Challenges and Implications of DACA

Barriers Faced by DACA Recipients

  • DACA youth perceive their status as a 'legally, illegal' position, complicating their educational journey.

  • Structural barriers at both state and federal levels limit access to higher education for DACA youth.

  • In North Carolina, DACA recipients are not eligible for in-state tuition, only out-of-state or international tuition rates (23 N.C. Admin. Code, 1D SBCCC 400.2, 2014).

    • Multiple legislative measures to allow in-state tuition for undocumented youth have failed.

  • DACA complicates life and raises several fundamental issues:

    1. Lack of appeal options for rejected DACA applications.

    2. Temporary nature requiring renewals every two years.

    3. Absence of a pathway to lawful residency or citizenship.

    4. Distrust and fear within families regarding potential deportations.

Financial Implications

  • DACA recipients lack access to federal financial aid, limiting their choices significantly. Cost to apply for DACA is around $500.

  • DACA does allow for a driver's license in most states and limited work opportunities, yet does not provide educational benefits full citizenship offers.

Research Methodology

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)

  • Team engaged DACA-recipient youth in dialogue about educational implications of DACA status via photovoice.

  • Developed comprehensive understanding through collaboration, enhancing the depth of findings.

Data Collection Protocol

  • Participants: Five DACA-recipient youth aged 17-22, recruited through a community-based advocacy organization.

  • Sessions involved brainstorming questions to explore youth concerns concerning education and DACA status, culminating in a six-session photovoice project.

Key Findings

Educational Aspirations and Perceptions

  1. Feeling Excluded: Many youth feel excluded from higher education opportunities in North Carolina due to their DACA status.

    • Visual representations, such as Valentina's image, depicted feelings of being "locked out" from educational opportunities.

    • Youth emphasize the high costs of higher education and their perceived lack of future prospects.

  2. Educational Cost Challenges: Monetary costs posed barriers that affected study participants’ motivation and aspirations.

    • Even top-performing students felt demotivated due to structural limitations preventing access to desired colleges.

  3. Identity and Status Confusion: Participants expressed confusion about how to identify themselves in applications due to ambiguous residency status.

    • Statements such as "We're legally, illegal" capture their struggles navigating their identity in educational settings.

Stereotypes and Misinformation

  • Participants faced daily life navigations impacted by stereotypes and misinformation about their DACA status, leading to feelings of invisibility among peers and teachers.

    • Youth metaphorically described unjust stereotypes affecting academic performance.

Discussion and Advocacy

  • Findings suggest that the educational aspirations of DACA youth are systematically curtailed by their legal status.

  • The study emphasizes the urgent need for educators to be well-informed about DACA to support these students adequately.

  • Youth in the study are motivated to advocate for their rights and seek in-state tuition access and general educational equity.

Limitations

  • The small sample size limits the generalizability of findings but offers deep insight into the experiences of DACA youth in North Carolina.

The study examines how being undocumented affects Latino/a youth's aspirations for higher education, highlighting the complexities of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and its implications. Utilizing community-based participatory research and the photovoice methodology, the research engaged DACA-recipient youth in documenting and analyzing their experiences. Key findings indicate that DACA youth face significant barriers such as feeling excluded from higher education opportunities, facing high costs that dissuade motivation and aspirations, and encountering identity confusion due to ambiguous residency status. Additionally, stereotypes and misinformation hinder their educational journeys, advocating for improved support and understanding from educators regarding DACA-related issues.