Immigrant students’ dilemma: afford college vs. endanger family

Editor’s Note: This article was written for Mosaic, an independent journalism training program for high school students who report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists. Mosaic is not revealing the names of students interviewed for this story due to the sensitive nature of the issues.

Some South Bay high school seniors have more on the line this spring than getting into the college of their choice. They’re facing a potentially life-changing decision — should they risk exposing their family’s immigration status when applying for crucial financial aid?

“I was really anxious to apply,” said a senior at San Jose High. “I heard rumors that the government can see that your parents are immigrants and deport them.”

Those fears are due to the strict requirements of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FAFSA . It requires students to state when both they and their parents became legal residents and requests their Social Security numbers. With the Trump administration pledging mass deportation of immigrants, many seniors are wrestling with how to complete the application. The FAFSA deadline is April 2.

For a senior at San Jose’s Abraham Lincoln High, it means scaling back her ambitions and going to community college.

“As a first-generation Latina born to immigrant parents, without financial support it would be impossible to get me through a university,” she said.

Nationwide, almost 46% of college-bound seniors applied for federal financial aid in 2024, according to FAFSA data compiled by the National College Attainment Network. Without it, many students’ goal of a higher education is jeopardized.

The disclosure requirement leaves seniors stressed and conflicted.

“It’s a sensitive topic,” said a senior at San Jose’s James Lick High who struggled to express his feelings. He took a deep breath and put a hand over his heart. “I don’t think the status of my parent’s citizenship should be a requirement to fill out financial aid,” he said.

At Willow Glen High in San Jose, a senior struggled over which parent to name on her application. “My dad is documented, so I decided it was safer to use him,” she said.

Students with documented parents empathize with the difficult decisions their peers are facing. “It’s harder if your parents don’t have a Social Security number,” said another Willow Glen senior.

Marcos Montes, policy director at the Southern California College Attainment Network, looks for alternatives to federal aid for concerned students. “For the past two years, the California Dream Act has extended to families of mixed status,” said Montes. “We let worried students know that is an option for them.”

However, the Dream Act may not produce as much aid as the federal program, and has less support from counselors. “Most teachers didn’t know how to help students with (the Dream Act),” said a senior who was unsure how to answer some questions on the application.

At San Jose High, counselors host financial aid workshops in English and Spanish, guiding families through the FAFSA application process. After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, families asked questions regarding the safety of their private information.

Schools tried to calm them. “They’ve assured us our information is protected against Trump,” one undocumented senior said. But as Trump loyalists have gained unprecedented access to highly private personal data, triggering court challenges, and have aggressively pursued undocumented immigrants, students’ worries only have grown.

To better equip counselors and families, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators distributes articles and guides to help immigrants. Though the organization is doing its best to provide timely information, Jill Desjean, director of the group Policy Analysis, said they can’t tell students to apply for federal aid or not.

“Ultimately, families need to sit down and make a decision that makes sense for them,” she said.

A senior at Downtown College Prep in San Jose recently was accepted at one school. Even though financial aid is uncertain, he’s determined to achieve his goal of being the first in his family to earn a college degree.

“As someone who has worked hard to go to college, I try not to make my citizenship status bigger than my accomplishment,” he said.

Iris Sanchez is a freshman at San Jose State University.