We’re days away from another Donald Trump presidency. While we don’t have clear messaging from his administration, Trump’s platform has staunchly pushed for mass deportation to stop a “migrant invasion,” and the president-elect has said he wants to deport any undocumented person in the U.S. There is a lot to watch, but I want to highlight the questions and storylines our local network will be keeping an eye on this year surrounding mixed-status families and undocumented students. 

Will mixed-status families apply for financial aid?

Many of our newsrooms are posing this question to respective state officials, advocacy groups and families themselves. This is relevant not just because of fear of deportation; mixed-status families had a terrible time with last year’s botched FAFSA rollout. The revamped form initially had a glitch which kept parents without a Social Security number from adding their financial information online. Affected students had to wait months for the U.S. Education Department to come up with a workaround so they could complete the form.

In Texas, for example — a state famously tough on immigration — Sneha Dey at the Texas Tribune reported that many mixed-status families lost out on financial aid last year because the state gives out funds on a first come, first serve basis.

I’m curious whether this has disincentivized families from going through the process again this year, especially with newer concerns about providing your information to a government you fear might deport you. Social security numbers and other identifying information are not supposed to be shared by the Department of Education with other federal agencies, though families are receiving warnings that it could still happen anyway. 

In November, the National College Attainment Network issued guidance to mixed status families, stating it “cannot assure mixed-status students and families that data submitted to US Department of Education, as part of the FAFSA process, will continue to be protected” based on statements from the incoming administration.

Will undocumented students maintain access to in-state tuition and scholarships?

More than 400,000 undocumented students (this includes Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA students) are enrolled in the U.S. higher education system. Most live in states which have programs and policies in place to provide in-state tuition to undocumented students. That’s according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, which tracks state policies and information about DACA and undocumented students’ access to higher education, degree completion, and career prospects across the country.

If states were to change or walk back any of these programs, I doubt it would happen immediately. But this year every state’s legislature will be in session, meaning lawmakers have the ability to amend these programs and policies should their respective legislative bodies seek to echo messaging from the federal government.

“Be prepared,” former Superintendent Steve Joel told Colorado school officials, according to local reporter Jason Gonzales and his peers at Chalkbeat Colorado. “Your community, your parents, your leaders, your state, they’ll appreciate you for it.”

What other issues and questions should we be asking? We want to hear from you. Please reach out to [email protected].

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Elsewhere on Open Campus

In Florida: Three of the state’s public universities are hiring for a new president this year. Ian Hodgson reported why politicians so frequently get the job; in Florida, former lawmakers make up five of the seven college and university presidents selected in the past two years.

In Cleveland: Amy Morona profiled Cleveland State President Laura Bloomberg to provide a glimpse into the realities facing people who lead regional public colleges. These schools face changing demographics contributing to declining enrollments and pressure from Republican lawmakers decrying college as being too “woke.” “It’s forcing leaders to juggle multiple priorities as they figure out how to reinvent their institutions to survive,” Morona wrote. 

In Pittsburgh: How are families here navigating the FAFSA, a year after a comedy of errors created a fraught process for students applying for financial aid? Maddy Franklin with our partner Public Source spoke with higher education advocates, high school staff and college administrators who are “cautiously optimistic” about completion rates this year.

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