DACA students find support across campus

On June 18, the Supreme Court upheld the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) protections. The 5-4 decision allows the Trump administration to end the program, but do so legally. The same day the Supreme Court ruled the decision, President Donald Trump announced he would continue his efforts to end DACA protections.

DACA does not provide a pathway to citizenship. The program is a placeholder program to address the immediate uncertainties of students graduating and applying for work, military and/or college while the United State Congress continues to debate solutions.

To qualify for the DACA program, individuals must be attending (or graduated from) high school, within a specific age range, not have a criminal record and pay the $500+ yearly fees. DACA recipients total over 650,000 people who come from various continents including South America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

CARES Act student funding restricted

DACA students sometimes find themselves limited or blocked from job, scholarship and aid opportunities. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) recently released an interim rule that the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was not to be used for those who would not regularly qualify for federal student aid. This clarification excludes those DACA students as well as international students, those with defaulted loans or minor drug convictions.

In the ED June 11 press release, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said “Today’s action helps erase any uncertainty some institutions have expressed and helps make sure we can support America’s students facing the greatest needs. We have a responsibility to taxpayers to administer the CARES Act faithfully, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

The statement ensures that “taxpayer-funded coronavirus relief money is distributed properly and does not go to foreign nationals, non-citizens, and students who may be enrolled in ineligible education programs.” All excluded classifications of students, including non-citizens and DACA recipients, pay taxes. 

Holly Ann Nolan, executive director of Financial Aid, said before COVID-19, DACA students and those who do not usually qualify for federal aid misunderstand that there is no aid available to them at all.

“Financial aid honestly encompasses a lot of different areas,” Nolan said. “It’s a loan, it’s scholarships, it’s grants — it’s federal, state and institutional.”

The Financial Aid Office also receives funding from the state.

“The state of Texas does support [DACA recipients],” Nolan said. “As long as a student is classified as a Texas resident, they could be potentially eligible for any of our state aid.”

Students who may not be eligible for federal assistance but are Texas residents can fill out the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) form. Those who filled out the FAFSA do not need to fill out the TASFA, as the former includes state aid. Both applications open up around October and award aid on a first come, first served basis.

“Some scholarships do want some kind of need-base,” Nolan said. “So DACA students shouldn’t feel that they’re ineligible for those because we do have the TASFA application that we can then calculate the needs of a student that isn’t able to fill out a FAFSA application.”

Nolan said the TASFA or FAFSA on file determine need-based eligibility in other programs like the Online Learning Assistance and Reimbursement Program (OLARP). OLARP allows eligible UHCL students to receive reimbursement for laptop/desktop/tablet equipment purchased for remote learning. The Financial Aid office uses the aid applications on file and student information to determine if the funding is coming from state, federal or institutional sources.

UHCL cannot use federal funding to support DACA students and other excluded populations, but the university offers other forms of aid to help those ineligible for federal assistance. 

Hawk emergency funds and Dean of Students

The Financial Aid Office and Dean of Students (DOS) work together to determine need, allocation and distribution of aid from the Hawk Emergency Fund. Emergencies are referred to the DOS, but those seeking aid for the future are encouraged to reach out to the Financial Aid Office.

The Hawk Emergency Fund Grant does take FAFSA/TASFA files on record into consideration, but Iliana Melendez, associate dean of students, pointed out that this is just one element of consideration for needed aid.

“We have a lot of students who normally don’t qualify for Financial Aid,” Melendez said. “They lost their jobs due to COVID, they can’t afford textbooks due to COVID, they’ve had unexpected hospitalizations perhaps or medical bills due to COVID and they need some assistance. Any little bit helps.

“Due to limited funding, we’ve had to limit [Hawk Emergency] grants at $250 versus $500,” Melendez said. “But we want to make sure we can award something to as many students as possible.”

DOS encourages students to fill out FAFSA/TASFA. Those who may not have qualified for financial assistance from FAFSA/TASFA previously may now qualify because of unexpected income changes.

“We’ve been able to award them grants,” Melendez said. “Which, as we all know, is the best kind of money for students because they do not have to pay that back.”

For all students, residents or not, the DOS Office helps make connections for students seeking non-financial resources too. Within the office, there is a Hawk Pantry with food and toiletries. 

“The office also aids mitigation circumstances with faculty,” Melendez said.

If students who do not feel comfortable disclosing their status need to miss class for a related appointment, they can reach out to the DOS Office for help in getting excused from class. 

One common question DOS receives from students is for legal counsel from UHCL.

“[UHCL] Legal can’t help students, but we do have resources out of UH,” Melendez said. “UH has the Immigration Clinic and so we can make referrals for our students as well.”

Melendez stated that some DACA students may have a misunderstanding that the DOS Office may report them somewhere, are not allies and/or will not understand their experiences.

“DACA did not exist when I was going through my naturalization process,” Melendez said. “From a personal standpoint, I completely understand the fear that comes with being undocumented or not having documentation.”

Melendez referenced a 2017 statement from Renu Khator, chancellor of the UH System.

Part of the statement reads:

“As a diverse and inclusive community that believes in the power of education, the University of Houston System will continue to support all of its students, including those covered under DACA, through any means afforded under law. The University of Houston System will continue to work with national higher education organizations and our Congressional representatives to find a pathway that allows DACA students to complete their educational goals.”

“None of that has changed,” Melendez said. “I just want our students to know that we celebrate them and we value their presence on our campus, so whatever resources we have [available] to support them in their educational endeavors, we’re happy to do that.”