INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Facing barriers

Antonia emigrated to this country from Guatemala. She was 6 years old, and very frightened during the long and treacherous journey. The “Coyote” (a hired person to bring people from one border to another) made her memorize the Mexican anthem, just in case they got stopped by Mexican police. Antonia says the situation at the U.S. border was like the beginning of the movie Born in East L.A., where Cheech Marin is disguised as a bush, running, ducking and evading bullets. It was very cold and the Coyote had to dig a hole in the dirt for her to sleep in. Finally, they crossed the border; her mother was waiting on the other side with open arms, and Antonia knew she was home. Antonia quickly learned English in her California school, where there was only one student in her class who didn’t speak Spanish. Her family moved to Indiana to be with relatives. Antonia excelled at school here in Indiana and had dreams of attending college. But there was a problem: She was still undocumented. Since she came to this country illegally, she would not be able to attend college in Indiana. Antonia has since decided to put her dreams on hold and work with several other family members in a factory. What did it mean for Antonia to be undocumented? It meant that upon graduating from high school, she was destined to receive her diploma and begin work in the fields or in a factory — jobs that command the lowest wages in the work force. She is certainly not alone. In 2000, 12.4 percent of the nation’s labor force was immigrant workers. And approximately 50,000 to 65,000 undocumented immigrant students graduate from U.S. high schools each year with at least 2,183 students identified as language minority students attending Indiana high schools in the 12th grade during the 2001-2002 school year. The barriers these students face are steep. Most undocumented students do not qualify for in-state tuition rates, although many of them have attended Indiana schools. Undocumented students do not qualify for public scholarships or federal loans, no matter what the family’s income level and the student’s academic achievements. Many undocumented students are also excluded under the current residency policies in Indiana public colleges and universities, even if they have physically resided in Indiana for more than 12 months, which is the minimum requirement for most university residency policies. It doesn’t have to be this way. The guidelines for determining residency for in-state tuition is not mandated by any state statute or state regulation, and the trustees of each public college have the authority to change their residency policies. Changing those policies to provide a chance for in-state undocumented students to pursue a postsecondary education would have many benefits. Public colleges would gain an opportunity for greater diversity. Academic performance, good moral character and long-term residence in the state would be rewarded, the earning power of the immigrant population would increase, and the high school drop-out rate would decrease. Finally, allowing undocumented students access to state colleges and universities can only have a positive economic impact on the state. Higher education means higher earning potential, increased disposable income, lower unemployment and lower poverty rates. Admittedly, it is illegal to be in this country if you have no authorization to reside here. There are many other people unable for years to join their families because of the red tape they have to cut through. Undocumented children, on the other hand, came here without any choice but to do what they are told. Article 26 of the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education, with technical and professional education made generally available and higher education equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. One approach to this problem would be for the government to follow those children, make sure that their academic progress continues and that they are model citizens who are willing to legalize their status in the United States. Since they are already legally required to be in our school system, tracking undocumented children could be easily done. Grant funds could be set aside for these undocumented children, conditioned on their meeting certain academic criteria and entering a specific field. This may be an answer to shortages in certain job fields such as health care providers, teachers and even interpreters. In this manner the United States can guarantee an education in return for needed services. Of course, the most comprehensive approach would be for the United States to do what Canada did years ago: apply amnesty to all illegal immigrants. It is time that our government took into consideration the huge number of illegal immigrants like Antonia living in this country, paying taxes with fake documents and performing work that most citizens refuse to do.