LibGuides: Anti-Oppression Resources for UNLV Students: Resources for Undocumented and DACAmented students

About this guide

With a focus on student safety and well-being, this guide is designed to provide general information and links to resources about anti-oppression and related topics such as diversity, inclusion, and social justice for the UNLV academic community. Intended to be non-partisan, many resources offered here are for everyone regardless of political affiliation or viewpoint. In some cases, resources and links related to issues and specific policies proposed by elected officials are part of this guide as these issues and proposed policies directly impact professional and personal lives of members of our community, such as immigrants or people of color.

We would like to offer our appreciation to the following individuals and other valued colleagues who contributed to the development of this guide.

Christine Clark, Professor, Teaching & Learning

chris.clark.unlv@me.com

Brittany Fiedler, Teaching & Learning Librarian

Mariana Sarmiento Hernández

Sue Wainscott, Engineering Librarian

sue.wainscott@unlv.edu

This guide seeks to serve as a starting point and is not meant to be exhaustive. It is our goal to continue its development in response to evolving needs of the community. We welcome suggestions from all members of the UNLV academic community.

If you have feedback about this guide or would like to suggest additional resources, please contact Sue Wainscott, Engineering Librarian

sue.wainscott@unlv.edu

Introduction

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Resources for Undocumented/DACAmented Students

Immigration has been a topic of national conversation. Some of that conversation has been focused on undocumented immigrants in the United States and on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The status of DACA is uncertain at this time. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Renew DACA today at the Immigration Law Clinic.

July 2024 update- The UNLV Immigration Law Clinic also offers information for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens.

The UNLV Undocumented Students Program has helpful, up to date information and resources for UNLV students about DACA and other resources for undocumented students. May 2024 update- this includes health insurance eligibility and new scholarship opportunities!

Below you will find a list of resources that might help Undocumented/DACAmented students and those individuals who want to find ways to support Undocumented/DACAmented students.

Stay up-to-date about DACA: https://ww.nilc.org/issues/daca/ and https://immigrantsrising.org/start-here/beyond-daca/ Update: April 2024 - The US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid office has an important update on the FAFSA for those without a social security number: (GENERAL-24-52) Update on Access to the 2024-25 FAFSA Form for Individuals Without a Social Security Number

Undocumented/Documented college students and youth are also often referred to as DREAMers. Learn more about the DREAM Act: proposed legislation that would benefit them, on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DREAM_Act

Read this profile of Mariana Sarmiento, From Dreamer to Dream Come True

December 7, 2023 update from Undocumented Student Program
The UNLV Undocumented Student Program encourages any undocumented individuals who were impacted by the December 6 event to reach out for support. Please see the program's announcement at the link above for important resources from the Immigration Law Center and UNLV.

Resources at UNLV

UNLV provides information for DACA and undocumented students.
U.S. citizenship is not required for admission at UNLV, and our doors remain open to all students who seek education and the opportunities it provides.
UNLV Immigration Clinic
The Wiliam S. Boyd School Of Law Immigration Clinic at UNLV offers a university community legal services program, UNLV’s first-ever program to provide immigration legal services to the university community. Launched in July 2018, the clinic offers legal advice and representation to UNLV students, staff, and their family members FREE OF CHARGE. Call 702-895-2080 for more information or to make an appointment. Services available to those who qualify and as resources allow.
The Dream scholarships
UNLV is teaming up with TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college access and success program for immigrant youth, to provide scholarships for Nevada’s immigrant youth to achieve their higher education goals. Read UNLV’s official press release: https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/unlv-partners-thedreamus-support-nevada-dreamers-pursuit-higher-education
NSHE DACA & Undocumented Students Resources
Locate information and contacts for each Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) institution.
UNLV Supporting Our Students (S.O.S.) Emergency Student Relief Fund.
"As funding permits, the S.O.S. Emergency Relief Fund provides students with financial assistance when faced with an unexpected emergency situation."

Undocually Training with the Undocumented Student Program
Sign up for training provided by the Undocumented Student Program, for those who wish to become better allies.

Support for Undocumented/DACAmented Students

Resource Guide for Immigrants by Nevada Senator Cortez Mastro
On this page (https://www.cortezmasto.senate.gov/resource-guides), Nevada Senator Cortez Mastro provides resource guides for Nevada residents, including a guide for immigrants. The guides are available in English and Spanish, and must be downloaded in Adobe pdf format.
Know Your Rights, from the National Immigration Law Center -https://www.nilc.org/get-involved/community-education-resources/know-your-rights/
Everyone living in the US has certain basic rights under the US Constitution. It is important that we all assert and protect our basic rights.https://www.nilc.org/get-involved/community-education-resources/know-your-rights/
National Immigration Law Center - https://www.nilc.org/
"Established in 1979, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is one of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants. At NILC, we believe that all people who live in the U.S.—regardless of their race, gender, immigration and/or economic status—should have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Over the years, we’ve been at the forefront of many of the country’s greatest challenges when it comes to immigration issues, and play a major leadership role in addressing the real-life impact of polices that affect the ability of low-income immigrants to prosper and thrive."
La Alianza Comunitaria Transnacional (ACT) https://www.immigrationlawhelp.org/organization.393130-Hermandad_Mexicana
Serving Clark County: "ACT is a community-based non-profit organization serving working Latin American families.ACT advocates to unite and guide working immigrants, independent of their race, nationality, religion, language, sex, age and immigration status. Our mission is to defend and advocate for the rights of the immigrant community."
Immigrants Rising - https://immigrantsrising.org/ formerly: Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC)
"We empower undocumented young people to achieve educational and career goals through personal, institutional and policy transformation."
Immigrants Rising Scholarships and Fellowships
"...list of scholarships and fellowships that don’t require proof of U.S. citizenship for you! The list has general application eligibility requirements, including education level, region/state, and immigration status (e.g. DACA, TPS, in-state tuition eligibility). Only opportunities with due dates within the next 180 days are shown in the list. Please refer to the webpage linked under “Click to Apply” for the comprehensive eligibility and application requirements."
TheDream.US - http://www.thedream.us/
"Thousands of DREAMers want nothing more than the opportunity to get a college education and give back to their families, their communities, and this country. At TheDream.US, we work with a community of partners to provide that opportunity. Our approach is designed to scale and deliver relevant and sustainable impact."
Patrick Kelley Youth Foundation - https://www.pkyf.org/
"Our goal at The Patrick Kelley Youth Foundation is to aid in the advancement of underprivileged children throughout the Las Vegas Valley. We provide scholarship support and educational incentives to children for meeting their academic, social and life goals."
My Undocumented Life - https://mydocumentedlife.org/
"Our mission at My Undocumented Life blog is to provide up-to-date information and resources to undocumented immigrants. We post scholarship opportunities that are open to undocumented students, strategies for navigating the educational system, information on how to apply for DACA/Advanced Parole, news on DAPA, and much more"
Informed Immigrant - https://www.informedimmigrant.com/about-us/
"...Informed Immigrant has become both a digital hub and offline network offering the most up-to-date and accessible information and guidance for the undocumented immigrant community." New! traveling with advance parole in 2024 information is available.
Undocumented Graduate & Professional Student Resource Hub
A frequently updated list of resources for persons and campuses looking for graduate and professional student resources. It is provided by the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, which is "an alliance of American college and university leaders dedicated to increasing public understanding of how immigration policies and practices impact our students, campuses and communities."

Resources on the Stigma of Being Undocumented

Undocumented by Aviva Chomsky
ISBN: 9780807001677
Publication Date: 2014-05-13
Explores what it means to be undocumented in a legal, social, economic and historical context .
Dear America by Jose Vargas
ISBN: 9780062851352
Publication Date: 2018-09-18
Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, called "the most famous undocumented immigrant in America," tackles one of the defining issues of our time in this explosive and deeply personal call to arms. Born in the Philippines and brought to the U.S. illegally as a 12-year-old, Vargas hid in plain-sight for years, writing for some of the most prestigious news organizations in the country (The Washington Post, The New Yorker) while lying about where he came from and how he got here. After publicly admitting his undocumented status--risking his career and personal safety--Vargas has challenged the definition of what it means to be an American, and has advocated for the human rights of immigrants and migrants during the largest global movement of people in modern history.

Scholarly Articles

Patler, C. (2018). To reveal or conceal: How diverse undocumented youth navigate legal status disclosure. Sociological Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1177/0731121418775092

Vaquera, E., Aranda, E., & Sousa-Rodriguez, I. (2017). Emotional challenges of undocumented young adults: Ontological security, emotional capital, and well-being. Social Problems, 64 (2), 298-314. (subscription access only - at this link is available to UNLV students and employees)

Quote

(Artwork by Anita Revilla, Quote added, Used with permission from the artist)

Anti-Oppression Resources for UNLV Students: Resources for Undocumented and DACAmented students