City DREAM and IIBA Support Undocumented Student Community With Immigration Legal Services
By Kyra Young
Millions of undocumented individuals and those belonging to mixed-status families find themselves on uncertain ground as President-elect Donald Trump steps into his second term, in which he has promised to carry out the largest domestic mass deportation operation in the nation’s history.
In the face of such tense circumstances, City DREAM has reaffirmed its solidarity with City College’s mission to advocate and uphold the right for undocumented students to pursue higher education without fear of arrest, deportation, or the release of any student information to federal immigration officials. City College and City DREAM’s partnership with the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) provides an array of free legal services to undocumented and immigrant students, staff and faculty as a part of the firm’s collaboration with California Community Colleges.
“City College was one of the pilot schools in which this collaboration was implemented,” said Maria Rodriguez Ramirez, City DREAM’s program manager since January of this year.
The IIBA, founded in 1918, is the largest nonprofit provider of immigration legal services in Northern California, serving approximately 10,000 immigrants per year across six counties. The IIBA offers citizenship, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), family reunification, humanitarian and deportation defense services, as well as education and civic engagement opportunities.
“When students hear ‘legal services,’ they’re often afraid it could be expensive,” said Hugo Columbus, City College’s legal advocacy fellow. “IIBA is free for students, it’s very accessible. I want students to know this – we have services for them and they can use these resources at no cost.”
In regards to a noticeable increase in traffic at the City DREAM office, Rodriguez Ramirez acknowledged the team’s intentional efforts toward outreach prior to the election, knowing the results could bring a heightened sense of vulnerability and more people needing their services.
“There’s a difference between people knowing about City DREAM and people coming into City DREAM,” Rodriguez Ramirez stressed. “Students are definitely feeling a lot of different and big emotions at the same time. That’s one of the challenges in the work that we do – people are experiencing a lot of different things at once.”
According to the Public Policy Institute, California has the highest immigrant population in the country, with over 10 million undocumented individuals finding a home here. An estimated 86,805 of those individuals are undocumented students in higher education.
On Nov. 6, 2024, the leaders of California’s three public higher education systems released a joint statement reassuring communities and emphasizing their respective institutions’ commitments to diversity and inclusivity.
“Following the presidential election results, we understand that there is a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety within California’s higher education community. We are proud to welcome students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, and we will continue to support and protect all members of our communities,” the statement reads, which was signed off by California Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Sonya Christian, University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.d. and California State University Chancellor Dr. Mildred García.
The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration also came out with a guide the day after the election, providing ways that campuses can support noncitizen students and employees.
“This is a time to prepare and not panic,” said Miriam Feldblum, the executive director of the Presidents’ Alliance
In the pursuit of higher education, undocumented college students are faced with a number of societal challenges, such as complex institutional barriers, financial hardships and threats of deportation to themselves and their loved ones. The mere disclosure of their immigration status can put these students at risk of being reported to authorities, and oftentimes this disclosure is necessary in order to access government-funded assistance programs – which oftentimes have restrictions based on legal status.
Simultaneously, undocumented college students and those in mixed-status families must navigate a rapidly changing landscape of immigration policy and enforcement practices, as well as what kind of access these individuals can have to services and opportunities. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, a federal program implemented during the Obama administration, provides undocumented young adults with access to better-paying jobs, funding for college, the ability to receive healthcare and to obtain a driver’s license. However, the program has remained in limbo since 2017, as the previous Trump administration sought to terminate it.
“One of the reasons students come to see us is because they get charged out-of-state fees,” explained Rodriguez Ramirez, who noted that students oftentimes come into the office is to ask a question about financial aid. “Automatically, undocumented students get charged as out-of-state students unless they qualify for tuition exemptions.”
Rodriguez Ramirez added that students come into City DREAM to meet with an academic counselor or schedule an appointment to meet with an attorney.
Aside from outreach efforts at high schools and community events, the amount of visitors to the office is greatly influenced by word-of-mouth. “Because of the specific population that we serve, we really rely on students telling other students about the services they receive here. The fellowship program provides a lot of peer-to-peer support that really allows our students to receive support from one another and build community with each other,” said Rodriguez Ramirez.
Following the election, Columbus sent an email to faculty in an attempt to make his contact available for those who need it, from which he can connect students with the most appropriate resources based on their circumstances. Making himself accessible to those reaching out has been his number one priority – even on the weekends.
“If they reach out to me, they probably need help,” Columbus explained. “I’m very glad students can communicate with me – for me, it’s just one minute. I can connect them to their next step so they can get more information and feel like they know how to get where they need to be.”
Columbus referred to the recent presidential election as a “call to attention” for students.
“Students probably need to start solving all different sorts of questions in their head,” Columbus said. “Every student has a different legal situation and they have a lot of questions to ask – especially right now. They have to be prepared for what’s coming. So if they’ve been procrastinating, now’s the time to figure out what they need and get to the process fast.”
“I think one of the key takeaways for people is understanding that now is the time to really put forth action behind the allyship,” emphasized Rodriguez Ramirez. “Especially in the coming months after inauguration, it’ll be even more important for students to see visible support on campus not only from student support staff and programs, but also from faculty and administrators. Right now is the time to act and really show up and show out for undocumented students.”
To book an appointment with City DREAM, stop by Cloud Hall office 306 or email citydream@ccsf.edu. The office is open for in-person visits Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m..