Under Trump’s Administration, Chicago Students Think Twice Before Requesting Financial Aid
A Fear of Deportation Looms Large
Given the threats of President Donald Trump to make mass deportations, high school students from the Chicago area with undocumented parents are weighing whether it is worth completing the free federal help request for students, or FAFSA.
“An additional barrier is being created to keep Latin children with brunette skin outside the university,” said Aidé Acosta, university director of the noble school schools network in Chicago.
A Complex Decision for Students and Families
Students send the form to access federal loans and subsidies to cover the registration and other assistance costs. Most depend on this financing to pay the university.
Completing the application requires sharing personal information about students’ parents, even if they are undocumented, and it is not clear if the Trump administration could one day use these data to apply immigration laws.
“By law, this information is protected, but that is now,” said Karla Robles, director of programs of the Access Organization to the Onegoal University. “It is a current fact. We don’t know what will happen. ”
A Fear of Being Identified
The students contacted for this report were very afraid to share their experiences, even anonymously, for fear that their parents could be pointed out by immigration authorities.
A Call to Action for Educators
Robles wants students and families to be aware that this could change. Beyond that, he said, his staff is telling students that they must make a decision based on their individual circumstances.
“On the one hand, we are providing guidance that tells them: ‘hear, this is a deeply personal decision that students must take with their families,’ and we want them to be informed of the risks they can have,” said Robles.
“But we also want to recognize that there is an incredible opportunity when complete FAFSA for many of our students. He is the guardian so that they can continue with his education after high school. ”
A Commitment to University Access for All
Acosta said that families and their directors should consider not only the risks of presenting FAFSA, but also what a student and their community could lose if they do not submit the application.
“I feel very committed to university access to black and Latin children as the most predictable and sustainable path for our youth, not only to be able to find financial freedom (…) but to create a positive multigenerational change,” Acosta said, who was once undocumented.
A Risk Every Day
Families with mixed immigration status are risks every day, he added, and it is possible that some already have archived information in the federal government if they have submitted taxes, for example, or have sent FAFSA in previous years.
“I have never believed that people’s information was sure,” said Acosta. “You can ask Daca’s beneficiaries: even if they were told that their information would not be used by other entities, most applicants were very aware that they were making a decision with some risk.”
A Conclusion
It is too early to know how Trump’s threats are affecting the amount of FAFSA applications presented by families with mixed immigration status in this season of university applications. However, educators and advocates say that students with undocumented parents are still choosing to deliver the form, despite the risks.
FAQs
Q: Can the Trump administration use FAFSA data for deportation purposes?
A: The Trump administration has not announced plans to use shared information in FAFSA for deportation procedures. According to the National Association of Financial Aid for Students (Nasfaa), so far no father has been persecuted as a result of the presentation of a FAFSA.
Q: What should students and families do?
A: Educators and advocates suggest that students and families should consider the risks and benefits of completing FAFSA, and make an informed decision based on their individual circumstances.
Q: Are there alternative forms of financial aid available?
A: Yes, there are alternative forms of financial aid available, such as scholarships and grants. However, FAFSA is the primary source of financial aid for many students.
