Undocumented and DACA Youth
To our undocumented/DACA students: your path towards a college degree will be quite different from that of your peers or relatives, but please know that achieving a quality education is still possible. Currently, North Carolina is a locked-out state, which means it does not offer in-state tuition for undocumented or DACA students. For college financial aid assistance and other services, please reach out to your high school counselor or college adviser on how to proceed as early as possible. Due to the unique nature of each undocumented story, it is important to stay up to date with changes in state and federal immigration policy that can impact your livelihood. The list below is a good starting point to resources available to undocumented, DACA recipients and/or DACA eligible students.
Resources:
- Alerta Migratoria NC is a community hotline, led by immigrant womxn. They promote the human right to migrate through trainings and workshops and rapid response to detention and deportation of community members.
- Curamericas partnered with the Guatemalan Consulate in Raleigh, NC to improve access to healthcare for Guatemalan immigrants. They provide healthcare screenings and inform Guatemalans on how to access health care providers.
- Define American is a change organization that uses the power of narrative to humanize the conversations about immigrants within news, entertainment, and digital media.
- My Undocumented Life provides the most up-to-date information for undocumented students, their families and allies. Their posts include scholarships for undocumented students, strategies on navigating the educational system, immigration-related news and much more.
- NC Justice Center provides legal representation for low-income immigrants and works to advance public policies that improve the well-being of immigrant families. Their legal work includes immigration law, employment law, public benefits, consumer protection and housing.
- Siembra NC is an organization of Latinx people defending their rights and building powers “with papers and without papers” with member leadership teams in Alamance, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange and Randolph county.
- So Much Potential is a DACA and undocu-friendly college planning resource site, with most resources being specific to North Carolina.
- The Latino Migration Project works to address many critical needs of the growing Latinx population in NC such as providing accurate and timely information about immigration issues, strategic planning for immigrant integration in NC local governments and much more.
- The NC Refugee Assistance Program (NC RAP) is a short-term transitional program funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services. NC RAP provides refugee public assistance and refugee support services.
- TheDream.US provides scholarships to undocumented students who came to the country before November 1, 2015. TheDream.US partners with 70 colleges in 16 states that are committed to helping highly motivated DREAMers complete their education.
- United We Dream is the largest immigrant youth-led community in the United States. They seek to empower people by developing their organizing skills and to develop campaigns at the local, state and federal level for justice and dignity of immigrant and all people.