Learning from Undocumented Students: Testimonios for Strategies to Support and Resist

ABSTRACT

Undocumented students and their families are in the crossfire as the Trump administration has taken an aggressive stance to criminalize, deport, and degrade them. Through the testimonios of three undocumented immigrant college students and graduates, this article sheds light on their memorable moments in high school and college to extract lessons for K–12 and higher education educators. The lessons include how to prepare teachers to make immigrants and current immigration issues visible in the curriculum, ways to create safe spaces for undocumented students to be understood and advocate for themselves, and the critical role of counselors in determining students’ college-going futures.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Kellie Griffith for her careful editing and Cristina Salazar Gallardo for her input on the framing of this article.

Notes

¹ Some states have tried to push back against the Plyler v. Doe decision. For example, Alabama’s Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2011 required schools to verify students’ immigration status. However, this section of the bill has subsequently been blocked.