The aid is part of a statewide effort that is meant to support undocumented students
By DAVID HERNANDEZ
Eight local community colleges, from Palomar and San Diego City to Grossmont and Southwestern, will be part of a pilot program offering free immigration-related resources that officials said are much-needed to serve undocumented students in a time of uncertainty.
The program, which is being rolled out this year, will provide students, faculty and staff at 65 community colleges with legal services, such as confidential consultations on immigration status and outreach events, including workshops on immigration-related topics.
The local colleges chosen to receive the aid are Cuyamaca, Grossmont, Imperial Valley, MiraCosta, Palomar, San Diego City, San Diego Mesa and Southwestern.
A total of $10 million was set aside through Assembly Bill 1809 for the state Department of Social Services to contract with nonprofits that offer immigration legal services.
Called the Community College Immigration Legal Services Project, the initiative is aimed at addressing a need identified in a recent California Community Colleges Dreamers Project report that found that one of the top three pressing concerns for undocumented students was the need for free or low-cost legal services.
The program is launching as undocumented students await a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Trump administration’s plan to rescind a program known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has asked immigration courts to reopen deportation cases against immigrants who were safe from deportation under DACA.
The Migration Policy Institute estimates that half of the roughly 50,000 to 70,000 undocumented community college students in the state likely qualified for DACA.
Local community college officials said that regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court case, they anticipate that undocumented students will seek out legal services. They added that it’s crucial to create a haven for undocumented students at a time when many feel vulnerable to deportation.
“It’s much needed, especially with the political climate right now; students are even more in the shadows and are afraid to identify themselves,” said Izabel Solis, Palomar College’s Counseling Department supervisor. “We are hoping that as we have more resources available they will seek resources when needed.”
Solis and other community college officials applauded the state for becoming more supportive and inclusive of undocumented students.
Sandra Lobato, a 29-year-old DACA recipient and member of San Diego Border Dreamers, knows first-hand about the importance of the services. She said the advocacy group gets a great deal of questions from students and refers them to immigration lawyers.
Lobato, who came to the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 7 in 1997, said she navigated a lengthy and complex process to enroll at Grossmont College before transferring to San Diego State University, where she studies child development.
“It’s wonderful to be getting that support and it’s acknowledgment that we are here,” she said. “That’s the kind of help and support that we’ve been needing.”
At colleges such as San Diego City and Southwestern, the state initiative will build on services offered at centers that support undocumented students.
Legal services offered at one time at the DREAMer Resource Center at San Diego City College included free consultations and workshops, efforts that were a “huge hit,” said Angelica Gonzalez, acting Title V director.
“It seemed like students were hungry to learn about all the opportunities” related to programs and funding, she said.
“It became very informative, not only for someone who is an undocumented student but also for allies,” she said.
For Palomar College, the aid is particularly beneficial because the surrounding North County area has limited resources, Solis said, adding that most services are concentrated in the southern regions of the county.
Palomar faculty and staff, including Solis, are working to create a welcoming space on campus to serve undocumented students, similar to the centers at San Diego City and Southwestern colleges.
The state’s support for undocumented students dates to the 2001 passage of Assembly Bill 540, which allows undocumented students who meet certain criteria to pay in-state tuition.
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