KEEPING STUDENTS IN SCHOOL: An Act of Resistance

A chilling new study, published by Prof. Thomas S. Dee, a professor of Education at Stanford University, has revealed a 22% increase in school absences following immigration raids in January and February across five of the largest districts in the Central Valley.  

Though it’s too soon to confirm, these trends have continued into the fields of higher education. According to Dr. Daisy Gonzales, Executive Director of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), there has been an observable decrease in immigrant student aid applications for the 2025 – 2026 application cycle.

“There is definitely a concerning drop in immigrant students applying for financial aid across California this year,” she said at a Jun 24th American Community Media briefing American Community Media, hosted in partnership with the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), to reaffirm California’s commitment to supporting immigrant, refugee, and undocumented students and families. “Students are in survival mode, their futures are unclear, particularly futures in this country.”

Their tenuous feelings of belonging built over the past few decades are beginning to break down. Fear of ICE raids and family separations is driving despair across all categories of immigrant students: undocumented, refugees, foreign-born children of legal residents as well as mixed-status students (U.S.-born citizens with one or more immigrant parents). 

As federal challenges with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) continue to create confusion and concern—particularly around unprecedented federal data sharing—California leaders are working together to promote the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) as a safe, inclusive, and reliable alternative, to protect access to higher education for all California students.

Dr. Gonzales is part of an education community that wishes to change the narrative. Fear should not dictate one’s hope for education. Instead, where the federal government has failed, local and statewide initiatives can aim to fill in the gaps and help students succeed. 

The biggest issue with the FAFSA, explained Dr. Gonzales, is the access of private data and student information by federal immigration enforcement agencies. Moreover, the FAFSA has historically excluded undocumented students from applying for student aid. Now, even mixed-status students fear the implications of this application.

The FAFSA application requires minor students to fill in personal information about their “contributors”, i.e., their parents or legal guardians, who may be undocumented and whose information can now be weaponized by ICE. 

“Students believe that by not filling out these applications, they are protecting their families,” added Celeste Mar, a first-generation Mexican-American graduate student and an intern with UNITE-LA,  an education non-profit, that works as an intermediary, collaborating with key stakeholders—including educators, employers, policymakers and community leaders—to ensure all individuals, especially those facing systemic barriers, have opportunities to thrive. 

“But in California, there is another choice.”

    California, along with 16 other states, provides an alternate and safe pathway for student aid. The California Dream Act, called the CADAA in short, is an application for educational funding from the state. Data and Information provided to the CADAA application is not shared with the federal government and is held in California. Moreover, the personal information provided by students is used only to determine aid eligibility and is not shared with other state agencies. 

    CADAA is available to all students, documented or undocumented. And it can be used to fund their education at any university in the state, be it a private institution like Stanford, public, like any of the University of Californias, or a local community college. 

    Education-based organizations have come together and rallied in the past few months to establish systems and processes that could help students navigate the current climate of fear and uncertainty. 

    “Getting an education is an act of resistance,” stated Dr. Gonzales. “And supporting these vulnerable students to access the education they need is an act of resistance too.”

    Resources and Organizations committed to helping immigrant students 

    1) 10,000 Degrees is a 42-year-old leading scholarship provider and college success nonprofit in California supporting students from low-income backgrounds to and through college.

    2) UNITE-LA champions equitable, economic mobility via cradle-to-career education and workforce development efforts that strengthen systems, policies, and high-quality education and career pathways.

    3) California Student Aid Commission, or the CSAC, is the state Student Aid Commission offering a variety of services with the mission of making education beyond high school financially accessible to all Californians. Here are some helpful resources and links: 

    1. Guide to Getting Started: CADAA for Mixed-Status Families | California Student Aid Commission
    2. Undocumented Students resource hub: https://www.csac.ca.gov/undocumented 
    3. Mixed-status families resource hub: CADAA for Mixed-Status Families | California Student Aid Commission
    4. Cal-SOAP is a CSAC-funded program that exists in many communities across California. These programs offer direct student support in their communities, often in multiple languages. More information on the Cal-SOAP program: California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP)

    Harshini is an ex-AI engineer who gave up a career in tech to explore the better things in life. Her story recently appeared in the The Smart Set magazine. She also have a Substack in which she writes...