High school seniors continue to apply for federal aid in the face of deportation risks for their immigrant families.
With the rise of deportations across the country, California college-bound seniors faced a difficult decision this past spring. They had to decide whether to submit a federal financial aid application despite fear the government would use the personal information to identify parents who are illegal immigrants.
Twelve percent of American children, or about nine million people, are citizens with at least one noncitizen parent, according to KFF, a nonprofit health policy research, polling and news organization.
In order for students to apply for federal aid, their parents must put down their Society Security numbers.
This came after an agreement between the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to share tax information about immigrants without legal status.
A graduate of Hawthorne High School in Los Angeles, Janet, who was identified only by her first name in a Cal Matters story, said she and her mixed legal status parents were nervous as they completed the application.
“When we submitted the application together, they said to me, ‘This is for you Janet. This is for the future generations, and I hope we stay together,’” Janet said.
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Author: Ray Hilbrich
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