For many in the U.S., achieving The American Dream means going to college and getting a degree to help land a good-paying job and all the trappings that come with it. It means that and more for immigrants who sacrificed everything to give their families a shot at a better life. But here’s the thing: unless you’re swimming in wealth, higher education comes at a significant cost, meaning students must secure financial aid.
Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to receive federal aid and comprehensive financial aid packages from most colleges and universities. While this sounds easy and innocent enough, FAFSA has the potential to become an insidious tool.
For Latino students with one or more undocumented parents, the form itself is becoming a potential barrier to higher education. These students are afraid that the information they provide on the FAFSA form will supply the incoming administration with data that could make it easier to deport their parents.
The Fear Of Completing FAFSA Is Real
An interview in the Chicago suburbs with a handyman who wanted to remain anonymous to protect his privacy illustrates the fear and the choices many Latino families are facing. He described his two daughters, one of whom is a senior in high school. Both are excellent students: one in math and science and the other in literature. The high school senior has dreamt of going to college since she was a child, and her father shared how he and his wife want their children to earn a college degree so “They would not have as hard a life as we do. This is why we came to this country, for them.” He discussed how his daughters would eventually have money to own a house, buy a car, save for retirement, and have nice things.
He then mentioned that he is undocumented while his wife is here legally but is not a U.S. citizen. After reviewing the FAFSA, he said that his daughter realized she would be providing the federal government with information about his undocumented status. Although guidance counselors have assured her that FAFSA information has never been used that way, she says she does not trust that it won’t be, especially with an incoming president and advisers who have taken a hard line on immigration and vowed: “from day one to deport a million undocumented immigrants a day.”
Since the handyman’s daughter cannot attend college without financial aid and refuses to fill out the FAFSA, she cannot pursue higher education. The handyman added that a number of his daughter’s friends are doing the same and refusing to fill out the FAFSA form. They would rather forgo college and face a life of economic struggle than provide information that could harm their families.
The Importance Of Increasing Latino College Attendance
College attendance, of course, relates to the Latino wealth gap. Closing it requires equal access to opportunities throughout their lives. In particular, Latinos must have equitable and unrestricted access to quality early childhood education, K-12 schooling, and higher education.
Latino college attendance is crucial for improving a person’s earning opportunities and for the nation’s economic growth and stability. With a college education, Latinos’ earning potential and ability to narrow the wealth gap increase significantly. Studies from Texas A&M University show that Latinos with a college degree have median lifetime earnings that are 67% greater than those with only a high school education.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos are the racial and ethnic group with the most significant population growth and one of the highest labor force participation rates. The nation’s financial strength depends on having a well-educated and trained workforce, which is heavily reliant on Latinos.
Nearly three-quarters of Latino college students receive financial aid; attending college is only possible with such assistance, and Latino students are more likely than members of any other racial or ethnic group to be first-generation college students. Latinos are the group least likely to have trust funds, 529 educational accounts, or parents who can afford college costs out-of-pocket. This makes it necessary for most Latinos planning to attend college to fill out the FAFSA form.
Specific Actions Recommended To Allay Deportation Fears If The FAFSA Is Filled Out
Whether the FAFSA data will be used in the mass deportation plans unfolding in the Trump administration is yet to be seen. Still, the fear and uncertainty that it will have become a barrier to college attendance for an unknown number of Latino students. In a worst-case scenario, a generation of Latino students would be lost to the knowledge economy, and that country cannot afford this loss of human capital. To ensure that Latino students take advantage of the opportunity to attend college, the incoming administration must take specific and immediate steps to alleviate these perceptions and fears.
Language matters and public pronouncements carry significant weight. They shape expectations, elevate fears, induce panic, relieve tensions, or instill calm. The president-elect should issue a statement assuring students and families that there will be a firewall between data provided to the Department of Education and that provided to other federal agencies involved in immigration policy. Furthermore, the president-elect should request that leaders of both political parties in Congress issue a joint statement supporting the administration’s commitment to protecting the data that students provide to the Department of Education.
These actions may not fully alleviate students’ and their families’ fears and concerns. Still, they are a necessary first step in assuring young people that pursuing higher education will not result in their parents’ deportation. They also will help assure the rest of the country that educational opportunities and economic stability for all are, in fact, a national priority.
Noreen Sugrue: As the senior research fellow at the Latino Policy Forum, Sugrue leads research on the Latino wealth gap and identifies policy directions designed to mitigate that gap. Understanding the causes and consequences of the Latino wealth gap and its potential solutions is critical, as Latino economic equity is a foundational pillar for broader societal prosperity.
Publisher’s Notes: This piece originally appeared on Forbes.com on December 4, 2024. Why The FAFSA Can’t Be A Barrier To Latinos Pursuing Higher Education was republished with permission.
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