TO THE EDITOR:
While undocumented youth in the U.S. face many unique challenges, education and mental health are issues of utmost importance.
The United Nations has declared education a fundamental human right. However, this right is not guaranteed in the U.S. The increasing price of universities (and lack of true public universities) makes higher education an extremely exclusive opportunity. In fact, the U.S. has various legislative barriers that make higher education virtually impossible for undocumented immigrants.
One of these barriers is the requirement for undocumented students to pay “out-of-state” tuition fees to attend public universities. In all but 18 states, undocumented students must pay these higher rates, which can be up to three times the cost for “in-state” students.
Additionally, undocumented immigrants are ineligible to apply for state, private and federal loans and are often denied scholarships due to their irregular status. The inaccessibility of financial aid makes it extremely difficult for undocumented students to continue on to higher education.
Mental health is another factor that is deeply affected by the vulnerability of young migrants to racism, xenophobia and discrimination. Unfortunately, racial profiling, random searches, deportation threats, home raids and other traumatic events are common experiences among immigrants.
These experiences, compounded with the tendency for migrants to live in lower socio-economic conditions, create an environment of stress that can cause severe mental and emotional repercussions.
Finally, the lack of financial resources and the inability to apply for health insurance makes the process of seeking help much more difficult for undocumented youth. These circumstances all contribute to poor mental health and increase the risk of chronic health effects.
