Support for Students Who are Undocumented

Can students who are undocumented still attend college?

Yes. Students may attend college or university in Texas as long as they apply and are accepted/admitted. They may also avoid paying out-of-state tuition by meeting the residency requirement of Texas Senate Bill (SB) 1528. Review the checklist in the Family Guide for DREAMers in the Rio Grande Valley to help you get started.

What Financial Aid support is available to students who are undocumented?

If you are not eligible to complete the FAFSA because of citizenship or visa status but are eligible to be classified as a Texas resident for tuition purposes, you may be eligible under SB 1528 to apply for state financial aid through the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA). The TASFA deadline is March 15. Application packets are available by contacting the Financial Aid Office.

What is the Dream Act?

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act is a Federal bipartisan legislative bill initially proposed in 2001 that would provide conditional permanent residency to immigrant youth who fulfill certain criteria. This bill has seen multiple iterations and revisions but has never been approved at the Federal level. Texas passed their own DREAM Act granting similar benefits to immigrant youth.

SB 1528 amends the Education Code to classify certain immigrants or resident aliens and certain former residents as Texas residents for college tuition purposes. The bill establishes the criteria those individuals must meet to qualify for resident status and pay in-state tuition and fees at a public college or university in this state.

What is DAPA?

The Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and lawful Permanent Residents program was rescinded by the Department of Homeland Security on June 15, 2017. The rescission does not affect the terms of the original DACA memorandum as outlined in the June 15, 2012 memorandum.

What is DACA?

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was founded on June 15, 2012. The Secretary of Homeland Security announced that certain people who came to the United States as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. They are also eligible for work authorization. Deferred action is the use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.

Where can I go to get assistance in completing my DACA application?

Title	Downloads
TASFA Assistance: Info Session (October 4, 2021)	Flyer \| Audio \| Video

Here is a list of organizations that may provide legal assistance in your DACA application process:

You may reach out to organizations and/or individuals recognized and accredited by the Department of Justice to assist in immigration proceedings and that must comply with the Code of Federal Regulations, 8 C.F.R.§ 1292.1-1292.20.

Who can you reach out to at UTRGV?

You may email dreamer@utrgv.edu with questions or contact any of the following individuals:

List of Reachable Faculty for Dreamers
The first column lists the faculty's name. The second column provides the faculty title. The third column states the faculty's email
Name	Title	Email
Rebecca Gadson	Dean of Students	rebecca.gadson@utrgv.edu
Douglas Stoves	Associate Dean of Students for Student Rights & Responsibilities	doug.stoves@utrgv.edu
Delma Olivarez	Associate Dean of Students	delma.olivarez@utrgv.edu

Important Notice from the National Immigration Law Center

Information for class members: dacaclassaction.com:

"JANUARY 19, 2021 — As a result of an order by a U.S. district court in the Eastern District of New York, on December 7, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting initial DACA applications, DACA renewal requests, and applications for advance parole from DACA recipients.

Since then, USCIS has mailed notices to individuals whose requests for DACA were approved for a one-year period, informing them that their current period of deferred action and their employment authorization document (EAD) have been automatically extended from one year to two. USCIS distributed guidance, including for employers, making clear that the extended EADs should be treated as having a two-year expiration date for all purposes for which EADs are used, including eligibility for state services and for employment eligibility verification. USCIS also mailed notices to individuals who submitted first-time applications for DACA or applications for advance parole, and whose applications were rejected as result of the unlawful July 2020 memo issued by Chad Wolf curtailing DACA.

On January 4, 2021, USCIS provided to the court a status report on DACA with information about the applications for DACA and for advance parole that were received, adjudicated, approved, denied, and rejected between November 14 and December 31, 2020, as well as the applications previously affected by the July 2020 Wolf memo. A more detailed summary of the data produced in that report is available at dacaclassaction.com."

Frequently Asked Questions: Rescission of Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

The Department of Homeland Security has made available FAQ’s in response to the September 5, 2017 announcement of the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program.

Resources

Local Organizations

National Organizations

Visit the Center for Diversity and Inclusion for more information.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Student Life and Dean of Students Division of Strategic Enrollment and Student Affairs