Should Undocumented Students Go to College?

Even with tuition rising, going to college will most likely pay off in the form of higher salary. But what if you weren't sure you'd legally be able to get a job after you graduate?

Two Cents is hosted by Philip Olson, CFP® and Julia Lorenz-Olson, AFC®
Director/Producer: Benita Ozoude
Written by: Andrew Matthews
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Produced by: Katie Graham
Edited & Animated by: Andrew Matthews
Fact checker: Yvonne McGreevy
Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell

Images by: Shutterstock
Music by: APM
Two Cents is a production of Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios

sources:

[lindadalton]

Hell no. No college at our expense. My grandson is working like hell to pay his way through college without taking student loans and then be in debt as soon as he finishes. So no not at our expense

[sovashadow]

The comments for this video are going to be fun to read

[onplanetbanana]

I came to the US at 9yo. was undocumented all the way through HS & got daca at 21, so continued to have no status throughout college. I am now a green card holding engineer. It was hard work & I would love to say just bust your butt & do it. But unfortunately our country is so volatile right now to immigrants who came here as kids. My heart goes out to the folks struggling with this currently.

[SimGunther]

The more important question is why did it need to be this expensive at all if the tuition isn't going to pay teachers better and the books aren't improving, not to mention the infrastructure issues that leads to people getting incurable diseases after graduation?

[CB-igkn]

Hell No!!! We as citizens do not get free college. Why should they?

[kathycullen]

NO. Unless they pay their own way like the citizens do.

[jamesmelwani]

Huge fan u guys helped me learn about personal finance before my teens

[Funsoul]

ABSOLUTELY NOT.. ESPECIALLY IF THEY GET IN FOR FREE..!!!

[vinucete]

Thank you, Two Cents, this is so needed!

[qjn]

Maybe it's just me not understanding USA, but if you want to grant 'undocumented people' some rights maybe it'd be easier just to 'document' them?

[chrisdavis]

Accountability, who's Accountable? Right? So you are brought into the USA Illegally and you have rights? Why are you not applying for residency? Are citizens being bumped by these processes for illegal immigrants? Choice is a responsibility freedom is an obligation to participate withe laws that are expected.?

[davidsmyth]

Isn’t undocumented just another way of saying “illegal”?

If someone is here illegally then shouldn’t that problem be fixed first???

[garyst.armand]

They'll probably earn a higher salary, IF they graduate. But if the 48% of them are not gonna graduate, then being saddled with huge student loan debts, and terrible job prospects are part of the reality they face when they roll the dice by pursuing that college degree. Good luck competing in a job market where 37% of folks have a 4 year degree, and you have no papers, and massive debts.

[eegernades]

Yes.

DACA resident here. Dropped out back in 2020, one cause covid, two cause of it being expensive an dcouldnt apply for grants or scholarships nor financial aid at the time.

Been here all my life since 3 months old.

Currently work as a full stack web developer, so it worked out for me. But others not so much. If you work and pay taxes here, should benefit from fafsa as well.

[CalixesYT]

As a lawyer, an immigrant, and a citizen--thank you for making this. I'd suggest people to look at SIJS (Special Immigrant Juvenile Status) too. I'm happy to see you encouraged to continue education, as education isn't just a tool to get a job. It is a means of improving your life, your understanding of the world, to understand joy, to experience pleasures like opening up intellectual curiosities. It isn't just for making better money, but for making better humans. And undocumented people are humans, too.

[Whooshta]

Thank you so much for doing this video. The process is so messed up, and it shouldn't stop people's futures.

[rtothec]

Sure they should be able to go.

But don’t sell them education as dream or solution to their troubles if it really isn’t the case. Ie get them in huge debt.

A lot of these institutions don’t give a fuck about their students and only care about their money aka see Canada and international students.

Getting an education and going to college are not the same thing. The former can be cheaper or free if you really work for it.

[HolaSunflower]

I met Sandra back in D.C. while we were all in the FCNL Lobbying Committee. I was very fortunate to meet another Michoacána like me. Thank you Sandra! So proud of you! Si se puede raza!!🌻🇲🇽

[InnD]

Love that you guys took a step back to highlight people who are currently helping the individuals and families affected by this. Keep up the great work! It's difficult to talk about these potentially hot button issues but that is where education should be encouraged.

[ShiningSakura]

if you came here by parents who drug you into being undocumented and you pay into the system just like everyone else, of course I don't mind you get education here, I encourage everyone to get higher education as needed weather it be college or trade school. If you came here to take advantage of the good people of this country and run back home with the spoils you took from our good we are full and you can go back home. We need more people who want to become a citizen who are stuck in difficult situations like this to be able to become a full citizen and contribute to society. We welcome people like you.