College Loans for Some Undocumented Students in CA

My university is rolling out the awards for the California DREAM Loan Program. I found some resources that I sent to our students (below). 

The landscape for school loans has changed significantly and there is a national movement against students needing to take out so many loans. The sociological context is the increased college fees coupled with increased poverty and job instability for our students (and their familias). My financial aid friends explain that having the opportunity to take a loan, if needed, is important for some families. I agree. However, I also remember when I went to college in 1989. I was not offered any loans. Instead, as a low-income student, my financial aid package consisted of Pell grants, work-study, and various forms of state aid. By 1993, I graduated with no debt, which is not the case for many current graduates. 

Free or debt-free college are exciting new social movements. I hope these promising programs extend to ALL students who enroll in college (e.g., undocumented students, formally incarcerated students) who currently have far less opportunity for financial aid, employment, and other economic support as they pursue their dreams of higher education. 

Senate Bill No. 1210

Resources Related to the California DREAM Loan Program

SB 1210 – Today’s Law (as Amended)

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB1210

CSUSM Resources

http://www.csusm.edu/finaid/fatypes/programs/ca_dream_loan.html

CBS News Story on the California DREAM Loan Program

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/california-dream-loan-program-opens-undocumented-students-n506186

University of California Information Page on Dream Loan

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/whats-available/dream-loan-program/

CSU Los Angeles – Information Page on Dream Loan

https://www.calstatela.edu/financialaid/dream-loan

Critique of Debt from College Student Loans

http://ticas.org/posd/home

Time.com - Student Loan Crisis 

http://time.com/money/4168510/why-student-loan-crisis-is-worse-than-people-think/

Bankrate.com - Advice on Deciding on Amount of School Loan

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/college-finance/how-much-college-debt-is-too-much-1.aspx

Compiled by Marisol Clark-Ibáñez (mibanez@csusm.edu); please alert me if there are any problems with this information or accessing the links.

Bad News - The Supreme Court Non-Decision

We have been waiting for the Supreme Court decision about the expansion of DACA and the new program, DAPA, that would have also protected DACA recipients' parents from deportation. Unfortunately, the vote was a tie, so none of the new programs are going forward this year. 

The 2012 Executive Action for DACA is still in place. 

Voting this Fall is so important for the Presidential election, which would lead to a new Supreme Court Justice nomination and so many other issues that shape immigration policy and practices. 

Whether or not we are citizen, we all CAN work for social justice and work together to encourage folks who can vote, to register and show up at the polls. 

We have a great regional group, Alliance San Diego, that is working for voting in our community! Check them out here to volunteer and get involved: http://www.alliancesd.org/.

Also, the National Latino Research Center at CSUSM is offering classes through out the community about voting, civic education, and US government. Not only does it prepare students for the naturalization exam for US Citizenship, it is geared to be empowering our community! The classes are in Spanish and in various locations in North County and beyond. Check out the program here: http://www.csusm.edu/nlrc/. 

Finally, I have listed some stories below to read in terms of good analysis and explanations of today's Supreme Court (non)decision. President Obama's video reaction is also included. 

In solidarity, marisol

AMERICAN IMMIGRATION COUNCIL STATEMENT

Today, the Supreme Court issued a 4-4 decision in United States v. Texas, the case challenging expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA).  This means that the Fifth Circuit’s decision upholding the preliminary injunction against these initiatives will stand. 

This ruling does not impact the original DACA program launched in 2012. 

The decision is a huge disappointment for immigrant families and their defenders. It’s bad for American communities, workers and the economy. We will continue to explore all available legal avenues and will urge the government to do the same. Ultimately, the nation needs a permanent solution to our outdated immigration system, and that must come from Congress. 

The fight will continue. 

LOS ANGELES TIMES 

NEW YORK TIMES

NPR

C-SPAN: The President responds to decision

From United We Dream: 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Education without Borders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Policy, conferences, scholarships, research, and news related to the diversity of experiences for those who are undocumented.
Please contact me directly if you would like to be removed or added to this listserve (mibanez@csusm.edu).  Or, feel free to add yourself here: http://coyote.csusm.edu/mailman/listinfo/ewb.

Dr. Marisol Clark-Ibáñez

Professor, Department of Sociology at CSUSM
Homepage: http://www.csusm.edu/sociology/directory/ibanez.html
Twitter: @mciCSUSM

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