With DACA in peril, one student shares his experiences being undocumented

USC Sophomore Luis Tun emigrated from Yucatan, Mexico toThousand Oaks at the age of six. He remembers crossing the desert being carried by an unknown man with a rabbit hopping along their side.

Tun is one of 75,000 undocumented college students in California, many who share similar stories.

Tun said he didn't understand the weight of his legal status on his future as he was nearing college-age.

“When I applied for colleges was when I realized what undocumented meant,” Tun said, “I couldn’t qualify for certain things or I couldn’t get the same financial aid process as other students did.”

Tun applied the California Dream Act Application, which allows students who are undocumented to apply for financial aid for California colleges, universities and career education programs through the Cal Grant.

When Tun was old enough to apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, he didn’t feel like it was necessary because he had two years left of high school. However when he began applying for colleges, he realized having legal status was a necessity.

“I was going to apply for DACA because I needed a job,” Tun said, “I needed to get some form of income for myself.”

In September 2017 President Donald Trump prevented new applicants from applying, only allowing those with DACA to renew their permits, before Tun could apply for the program.

Tun said not being a DACA recipient has hindered his professional growth. Tun is not able to apply to the same internships, fellowships, and jobs as his peers.

“My freshman year I applied to be an Orientation Advisor,” Tun said, “I went through the whole process and they had me come in to tell me they weren’t going to give me the job anymore because I didn’t have a social security.”

USC’s Immigration Clinic, funded by the provost, provides legal support to undocumented students like Tun and their families.

The university is careful with disclosing how many undocumented students are on campus for their safety, but Co-Director Jean Reisz said the clinic is “very busy” with students and families.

They also serve many “mixed families”, where the student has legal status but their families do not.

“Mixed status families at USC [have] a huge impact on students [because they are] worried about [their] parents deported or arrested,” Reisz said, “That impacts that student’s quality of life, health, and academics.”

The fate of the DACA program currently lies in the hands of the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the Court heard oral arguments about whether it can determine if the Trump administration to end the program was lawful.

After oral arguments of DACA were heard at the Supreme Court, USC President Folt tweeted in support of the program and “Dreamers”:

“The president has expressed support,” Reisz said, “so there’s a positive belief that through this president we can get [protections for “Dreamers”] more institutionalized.”

Different initiatives have been created by student advocates such as the pop-up dream center, the legal clinic, an undocumented student guide, scholarships, and resources with the office of religious life.

Reisz sees both sides of the issue as an administrator of the clinic and interacting with students. She sees the support the university is providing students but feels they need to take a bigger stance.

“There is support, but without a unifying dream center. It’s a big deal and the failure to not have a center sends the wrong message” Reisz said.

Tun feels like more needs to be done for all undocumented students on campus regardless of their status.

“If the university is going to uphold or advertise or promote diversity and inclusion that they pride themselves on, they should enact on it and really speak to what they are preaching,” Tun said.

Reisz believes if DACA is terminated, 700,000 people living in the U.S. with DACA will no longer have temporary legal status.

Reisz said even though scholarships are available to undocumented students, work authorization through DACA is necessary for students to survive financially.

“One of the biggest problems is a work authorization,” Reisz said, “so even if you get a scholarship, how are you able to make ends meet?”

If DACA remains terminated after going through the Supreme Court, Tun hopes USC will reach out to the Trojan family to better support students.

Tun said he would like the university to offer students who are undocumented work-study, fellowships within USC or internships, so students can connect with partners within the Trojan family.

Reisz believes USC should also look into their undocumented graduate students needs to better serve them financially.

The Supreme Courts’ decision on DACA is not yet known but can come as early as December or as late as June 2020, the last day of the Supreme Courts’ term.