‘DreaMSU’ sheds light on challenges faced by immigrant, undocumented students
Edwin JaramilloSeptember 26, 2019
For immigrant and undocumented students, attending Michigan State means facing a number of obstacles, including a lack of resources and MSU’s policy that they must pay international student tuition rates.
DreaMSU, a student organization that advocates for more inclusive policies for immigrant and undocumented communities at MSU, aims to highlight the issues Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients and undocumented students go through while attending the university.
Resources compiled from MSU’s College of Law
(November 17, 2016) Visit law.msu.edu
MSU’S Undocumented Student Resources
“Michigan State University is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. That includes our commitment to admit and support students from all backgrounds, adhering to our values of being a campus that is diverse, equitable and free from discrimination.
We are aware undocumented students, refugees and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, as well as students, staff and faculty with mixed-immigration status often face barriers and challenges as they navigate campus policies requiring support services to address their unique needs. To assist, multiple units across campus are working together to increase institutional support for these students as well as provide training and advising related to admissions, financial aid, and residency reclassification.
This website reflects our commitment to MSU students, faculty and staff and provides information that may be useful to current and prospective students and their families, as well as other members of the campus community.”
Scholarships for Undocumented Students
Despite heated controversy over immigration laws as it appears on the nation’s political agenda, at least seventeen states allow non-native students to pay in-state tuition after having passed a tuition equity bill. While they may seem scarce, there are plenty of scholarships for undocumented students. Not all scholarships will explicitly call for “undocumented” students – they may require students to have a specific status such as DACA, AB 540, etc. Some scholarships may not even ask about immigration status or citizenship, so you may qualify for those scholarships if you are currently undocumented. Make sure to check your state’s immigration laws and policies when applying for scholarships and other forms of financial aid, in addition to reading all scholarship eligibility requirements.
Resources for the DACA and Undocumented Community
Translated Documentation
Health.gov Information about COVID-19 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MB3C3uA2SStFJ3B7sOwBv7ck2fUrmxL
Governor’s Executive Ordershttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jTjhHXq5ldhXflCzSRDj5-b9aMQsQhKb
Unemployment Insurance Information
More detailed information: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dDSCOe2mCiBJ7EXejh73NDPGejpUBG3j
Who can apply for unemployment insurance? Those with work permits who have earned qualifying wages and are actively looking for other employment opportunities.
Does this include those with DACA status?Yes
Does this include undocumented workers? Unfortunately, no. Applying for unemployment with another person’s information can have serious civil and criminal consequences.
Does receiving unemployment insurance make me a public charge? No. This is not a factor in a public charge determination.
Accessing Health Care
https://www.fqhc.org/find-an-fqhchttp://www.fcomi.org/find-a-clinic.htmlclick here
Community Organizations to Follow
MIRC – Michigan Immigrant Rights Center: https://michiganimmigrant.org/
Welcoming Michigan: https://welcomingmichigan.org/
Welcoming Michigan COVID-19 Community Resources https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KcNlgLg8epDBtZDHkTYN5ct_PKBxmrrLAodf1RnVQkw/edit
One Michigan: http://1michigan.org/
United We Dream: https://unitedwedream.org/