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Updated on December 20, 2023
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Why It’s Important
The American Immigration Council estimates that about 408,000 undocumented students were attending postsecondary institutions in the United States as of 2021.1 This population represents roughly 2% of all postsecondary learners. Among these students, almost half are DACA-eligible — meaning they either hold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or would have been eligible for the DACA program before it was partially ended in 2021. A court ruling closed the program for those seeking to apply for the first time, but it continues for individuals who currently have or formerly had DACA status.2 In 2023, Upwardly Global conducted focus groups with college administrators and surveyed community college practitioners in the U.S. Most respondents said their school needs to do more to support immigrant and refugee students.3 One of the small ways you can do this is by using thoughtful and respectful language when discussing individuals who belong to this demographic of students to avoid hurtful and unfair stereotypes.
Your Language Matters
Immigration Status
- Do not refer to any individual as an “illegal,” “illegal immigrant,” or “alien.”
- These descriptions dehumanize individuals and strip their identity down to a legal status.
- The word “illegal” can describe an action, but never use it when describing a person.
| Don’t Use | Do Use |
|---|---|
| Illegal (to refer to a person), illegal immigrant, alien | Undocumented immigrant, aspiring citize |
| Don’t Use |
|---|
| Illegal (to refer to a person), illegal immigrant, alien |
| Do Use |
|---|
| Undocumented immigrant, aspiring citize |
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Related Information
Sources
- American Immigration Council. (2023, August 2). Undocumented college students: How many students are in U.S. colleges and universities, and who are they?
- Immigrants Rising. (2023, September 14). DACA updates.
- Upwardly Global. (2023, September). Unlocking potential: Enhancing community college services for immigrant and refugee students.
- United We Dream, National Immigration Law Center, First Focus, & A Union of Professionals. (2016, June). Immigrant and refugee children: A guide for educators and school support staff.