1 00:00:02,033 --> 00:00:04,633 JUDY WOODRUFF: Next month, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the Obama era program 2 00:00:04,633 --> 00:00:09,633 called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which has protected hundreds of thousands 3 00:00:10,933 --> 00:00:14,133 of individuals, also known as dreamers. 4 00:00:14,133 --> 00:00:17,700 They were brought to the U.S. by their parents illegally when they were children. 5 00:00:17,700 --> 00:00:22,700 The issue before the court is whether the Trump administration acted legally when it 6 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:26,833 sought to terminate the program in 2017. 7 00:00:26,833 --> 00:00:30,800 Since then, DACA has been closed to new enrollees. 8 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,800 Hari Sreenivasan recently traveled to Ohio to speak with DACA students about their experiences. 9 00:00:38,233 --> 00:00:41,933 It's the latest in our special series on Rethinking College, and it's part of our regular education 10 00:00:42,833 --> 00:00:44,966 segment, Making the Grade. 11 00:00:44,966 --> 00:00:49,333 MAN: After you have decided on what you want to study, you have to review the literature. 12 00:00:51,333 --> 00:00:54,066 HARI SREENIVASAN: Like many college students, 19-year-old Jimmy Rodriguez has a lot on his 13 00:00:54,066 --> 00:00:56,166 plate. 14 00:00:56,166 --> 00:00:59,033 He's taking a full course load this semester at Lorain County Community College in Ohio. 15 00:00:59,033 --> 00:01:02,866 In the evenings, he practices with the school's soccer team. 16 00:01:02,866 --> 00:01:07,866 But unlike most of his peers, Rodriguez is pursuing a degree and a future in a country 17 00:01:09,033 --> 00:01:11,166 he may one day be forced to leave. 18 00:01:11,166 --> 00:01:13,566 WOMAN: I know there are a couple of things I wanted to follow up with you on. 19 00:01:13,566 --> 00:01:15,700 And that is your paperwork for the DACA. 20 00:01:15,700 --> 00:01:18,366 HARI SREENIVASAN: Rodriguez is a DACA beneficiary. 21 00:01:18,366 --> 00:01:23,366 His parents brought him to the U.S. from Mexico in 2002, when he was a year-and-a-half old. 22 00:01:24,233 --> 00:01:25,866 He's never been back to Mexico. 23 00:01:25,866 --> 00:01:27,900 JIMMY RODRIGUEZ, College Student: DACA means the world to me. 24 00:01:27,900 --> 00:01:32,666 I'm able to get a job, a normal job, get my license, almost like a citizen, but not fully 25 00:01:34,966 --> 00:01:36,966 yet. 26 00:01:36,966 --> 00:01:39,733 HARI SREENIVASAN: He wants to be the first person in his family to graduate from college. 27 00:01:39,733 --> 00:01:44,600 But those plans were almost derailed last year when he and his father, who's also undocumented, 28 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,966 were caught up in a federal ICE raid while working at a garden center. 29 00:01:48,966 --> 00:01:51,400 Jimmy's dad caught some of the raid on his cell phone. 30 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:56,366 JIMMY RODRIGUEZ: And they told us to shut up, to stop talking, that we were all illegal. 31 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,333 HARI SREENIVASAN: Because he was protected by DACA, Rodriguez was released, but his father 32 00:02:03,333 --> 00:02:05,400 was detained for several months. 33 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:10,033 He's out now and has been given a temporary work permit while he awaits his next immigration 34 00:02:10,033 --> 00:02:12,133 hearing. 35 00:02:12,133 --> 00:02:14,233 JIMMY RODRIGUEZ: It's always affected me since I found out I was undocumented, in school, 36 00:02:14,233 --> 00:02:18,933 in class, at work, at a game, thinking about your family, because you're not with them, 37 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,866 so you're uncertain what's going to happen to them. 38 00:02:22,866 --> 00:02:27,866 HARI SREENIVASAN: According to the Migration Policy Institute, about 98,000 dreamers graduate 39 00:02:28,966 --> 00:02:31,000 from high school each year in the U.S. 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,433 Many enter the work force right away, but it's estimated 20 percent of DACA beneficiaries 41 00:02:35,433 --> 00:02:37,500 are enrolled in college. 42 00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:42,133 On a recent afternoon, as Ohio State University fans cheered on their football team, a small 43 00:02:44,166 --> 00:02:47,966 student group met nearby to discuss their goals for the upcoming school year. 44 00:02:47,966 --> 00:02:51,000 WOMAN: Who would we be targeting in the education systems? 45 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,533 HARI SREENIVASAN: The four leaders of the newly formed Student Community of Progressive 46 00:02:54,533 --> 00:02:59,100 Empowerment organization, which advocates for undocumented students, are all protected 47 00:02:59,100 --> 00:03:01,200 by DACA. 48 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:02,666 LIZ, College Student: There are these kids that would have applied for it, but can't. 49 00:03:02,666 --> 00:03:04,766 So, they're undocumented. 50 00:03:04,766 --> 00:03:07,433 HARI SREENIVASAN: Nineteen-year-old Liz is a junior majoring in civil engineering. 51 00:03:07,433 --> 00:03:11,900 She prefers to go only by her first name, due to concerns about her family's safety. 52 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:16,900 Liz has lived in Ohio since she came to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 1. 53 00:03:19,366 --> 00:03:23,500 She's been on the dean's list and has a 3.7 grade point average. 54 00:03:23,500 --> 00:03:28,133 That type of academic performance would help most students get financial aid, but not dreamers. 55 00:03:28,133 --> 00:03:32,900 LIZ: The number one challenge that we face is a lack of financial aid. 56 00:03:32,900 --> 00:03:37,600 As DACA students, we don't get federal financial aid and a lot of public scholarships. 57 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:39,100 HARI SREENIVASAN: How are you financing your education? 58 00:03:39,100 --> 00:03:42,700 LIZ: A lot of my education is financed with my own money. 59 00:03:42,700 --> 00:03:44,200 I work part-time as a server. 60 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,866 I have been working since I was 16 to save up for college. 61 00:03:46,866 --> 00:03:49,966 Other than that, I have had a handful of private scholarships. 62 00:03:49,966 --> 00:03:54,766 HARI SREENIVASAN: Like most dreamers, Liz had to apply as an international student, 63 00:03:54,766 --> 00:03:59,733 but Ohio allows DACA recipients to qualify for in-state tuition if they meet residency 64 00:04:01,833 --> 00:04:05,600 requirements; 23 other states and the District of Columbia have laws or university system 65 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,600 policies that allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition. 66 00:04:12,500 --> 00:04:14,866 Liz wants to become an engineer, but she says it can be hard to stay focused when faced 67 00:04:14,866 --> 00:04:16,433 with the possibility of deportation. 68 00:04:16,433 --> 00:04:20,666 LIZ: It's a lot of anxiety knowing that you might not graduate. 69 00:04:20,666 --> 00:04:23,566 You have this long-term goal, but it's not certain. 70 00:04:23,566 --> 00:04:25,366 You can't work harder and get it. 71 00:04:25,366 --> 00:04:27,966 You can't study harder and get it. 72 00:04:27,966 --> 00:04:30,166 It's just completely out of your control. 73 00:04:30,166 --> 00:04:33,166 HARI SREENIVASAN: It's not just undergrads who are concerned. 74 00:04:33,166 --> 00:04:36,166 You're hoping to build a database that researchers can use to fight cancer? 75 00:04:36,166 --> 00:04:38,200 HAN GIL, College Graduate: Yes. 76 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,066 HARI SREENIVASAN: Twenty-two-year-old Han Gil is a DACA recipient who is applying for 77 00:04:40,066 --> 00:04:43,200 Ph.D. programs while working at a lab on campus. 78 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,966 The recent Ohio State grad, who also prefers to go by only her first name, was born in 79 00:04:47,966 --> 00:04:51,433 Korea and has been in the U.S. since the age of 4. 80 00:04:51,433 --> 00:04:55,333 She and other DACA beneficiaries must reapply every two years. 81 00:04:55,333 --> 00:05:00,366 HAN GIL: The programs I'm looking into are minimum five years. 82 00:05:01,233 --> 00:05:03,366 And reapplying costs money. 83 00:05:03,366 --> 00:05:08,133 It's hard for me to have any confidence in what I'm going to do in the future, when I 84 00:05:10,100 --> 00:05:12,666 can't even have the basics of knowing if I'm even going to be here or not. 85 00:05:12,666 --> 00:05:16,533 HARI SREENIVASAN: Those kinds of concerns are all too common for undocumented students, 86 00:05:16,533 --> 00:05:19,100 says Yolanda Zepeda. 87 00:05:19,100 --> 00:05:22,066 She's assistant vice provost in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Ohio State University. 88 00:05:22,066 --> 00:05:25,333 YOLANDA ZEPEDA, Ohio State University: What I find is, our students have to work a lot 89 00:05:25,333 --> 00:05:30,333 of hours in order to just pay for their schooling. 90 00:05:31,700 --> 00:05:33,766 That can very much extend the time to degree. 91 00:05:33,766 --> 00:05:38,766 And I have seen students who start out very enthused and very determined, and , over time, 92 00:05:42,033 --> 00:05:44,166 they just get tired. 93 00:05:44,166 --> 00:05:47,700 HARI SREENIVASAN: Ohio State University doesn't disclose the number of enrolled DACA students, 94 00:05:47,700 --> 00:05:50,533 and many dreamers choose not to reveal their status. 95 00:05:50,533 --> 00:05:52,933 But there are campus programs aimed at giving them support. 96 00:05:52,933 --> 00:05:55,933 ANNA BABEL, Ohio State University: A lot of it is taking your own initiative to make sure 97 00:05:55,933 --> 00:05:59,600 that undocumented student concerns are getting into the daily life of the university. 98 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:04,433 HARI SREENIVASAN: Around 300 faculty, staff and students have participated in a voluntary 99 00:06:04,433 --> 00:06:08,600 training program to become allies for undocumented students. 100 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,600 Ohio State language professor Anna Babel is leading the effort. 101 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,200 ANNA BABEL: They can run into problems with court dates, if they have a court date and 102 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,800 they don't want to tell their professor what's going on in their life, maybe it conflicts 103 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,900 with an exam or with a required class period. 104 00:06:21,900 --> 00:06:25,933 Many language departments traditionally have requirements for study abroad, and undocumented 105 00:06:25,933 --> 00:06:28,000 students just can't do that. 106 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,200 HARI SREENIVASAN: As Ohio State and other schools try to help dreamers, they are aware 107 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,866 that immigration policy is contentious. 108 00:06:32,866 --> 00:06:37,133 They also know that there are many who want to end DACA and support the Trump administration's 109 00:06:37,133 --> 00:06:39,166 efforts to do so. 110 00:06:39,166 --> 00:06:42,033 HANS VON SPAKOVSKY, Heritage Foundation: I think President Trump acted correctly in ending 111 00:06:42,033 --> 00:06:44,066 the program. 112 00:06:44,066 --> 00:06:46,300 HARI SREENIVASAN: Hans Von Spakovsky is a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation 113 00:06:46,300 --> 00:06:48,733 in D.C., a conservative think tank. 114 00:06:48,733 --> 00:06:53,600 He has concerns, among other things, about universities giving in-state tuition to undocumented 115 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,200 students. 116 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:00,266 HANS VON SPAKOVSKY: Federal immigration law doesn't ban colleges and universities, state 117 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,300 ones, from providing in-state tuition to aliens who are here illegally. 118 00:07:04,300 --> 00:07:09,300 But it does say that, if they do that, they have to provide in-state tuition to citizens 119 00:07:10,166 --> 00:07:11,833 who are from other states. 120 00:07:11,833 --> 00:07:14,400 That provision has never been enforced by the U.S. Justice Department. 121 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,833 HARI SREENIVASAN: While the political battles are being fought, life goes on at universities 122 00:07:18,833 --> 00:07:20,333 for now. 123 00:07:20,333 --> 00:07:22,733 Civil engineering major Liz is keeping focused on her studies. 124 00:07:22,733 --> 00:07:26,666 LIZ: For me, my number one goal is to do as much as I can and try as hard as I can to 125 00:07:26,666 --> 00:07:28,233 graduate. 126 00:07:28,233 --> 00:07:32,300 And I will do that until I -- until the last second that I can. 127 00:07:32,300 --> 00:07:36,600 HARI SREENIVASAN: Liz, Jimmy, Han Gil and many other dreamers across the U.S. will be 128 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:41,600 waiting anxiously for the Supreme Court's decision on DACA, expected by next summer. 129 00:07:43,033 --> 00:07:45,100 For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Hari Sreenivasan in Columbus, Ohio. 130 00:07:45,100 --> 00:07:48,700 JUDY WOODRUFF: Part of our series on Rethinking College.