De Anza College is committed to providing education and a safe environment for all students, regardless of their immigration status. While the recent national election has prompted uncertainty and concern about future government polices, De Anza is reaffirming its commitment to treat all students with equity and respect. This page will be updated regularly with information about on-campus programs and other resources for undocumented students.
**Closed Captions in English and Spanish; click "CC" or "Settings" to select language.** (For a version of this video with open captions in English, click here)
Scroll down for morevideos, students' stories andfactsabout immigrants in Silicon Valley.
Latest News
DREAMers to stay in U.S. for now, but long-term fate is uncertain: Read the New York Times report on the Trump administration's current stance.
Five years in, what's next for DACA? Read this report from National Public Radio.
HEFAS, or Higher Education for AB540 Students, works to provide free resources, reduce financial stress and create a safe learning environment for undocumented students.
Admissions and Records offers information for undocumented students seeking to qualify for in-state tuition under AB540, rather than pay the higher rate for out-of-state residents.
Financial Aid has information on the California Dream Act, which lets AB540 students qualify for state and non-state funded financial help at public colleges.
Undocumented students are entitled to the same protection from sexual harassment and sexual discrimination that Title IX, a federal law, guarantees to everyone at De Anza.
Statements of Support
Responding to a White House order barring immigrants from certain countries, De Anza President Brian Murphy pledged support to international students and emphasized the college's commitment to inclusion and equity.
In an earlier message, President Murphy cited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s call for "vigorous and positive action" as he announced campus events to support undocumented students.
The Board of Governors for California Community Collegesadopted this resolution urging President Trump to preserve DACA and affirming that community colleges will remain safe and welcoming for all students regardless of their immigration status.
Make a family plan, including a list of emergency contacts and back-up childcare in case a parent is detained.
Keep a file of important documents. Carry a valid work permit or green card, if you have one. If you’re undocumented, don’t carry papers that show your country of origin.
Consult an immigration attorney about your options, and carry his or her phone number with you. Know your rights if stopped by law enforcement.
And if you're feeling stressed and want to talk with someone, here's a list of mental health providers from the Psychological Services office at De Anza.
In addition, here are two mobile apps designed to help undocumented students find out about college scholarships available to them. Each was developed by an undocumented student who wanted to make the experience easier for their peers.
DREAMer's Roadmap lists scholarships and helps students keep track of application deadlines. It also lets anyone suggest a scholarship that should be added to the database. It's available to download for Apple and Android devices.
DACA Scholars lists scholarships, provides deadline notifications and includes articles about undocumented students and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It's available for Apple and Android devices.
Congratulations to De Anza students Itzel and Brenda for earning $25,000 scholarships from TheDream.US !
Learn more about TheDream.US National Scholarship Awards
De Anza Student Stories
**Closed Captions in English and Spanish; click "CC" or "Settings" to select language.**
Manuel: "What's the future going to look like?"
Itzel: "People are afraid right now"
Brenda: "De Anza offers lots of resources ... You feel supported 110 percent"
Some Facts About Undocumented Immigrants
More than one in ten young adults in Silicon Valley are undocumented, according to a new report by the UCLA Labor Center, which estimates they are 14% of the half million people aged 18-32 in this region.
The study found 53 percent of undocumented young adults here are from Mexico, while 16 percent are from India, 5 percent from the Philippines and 5 percent from China.
More than 70 percent of the valley’s undocumented young adults are working, which is slightly higher than the rate for documented or U.S.-born peers.
De Anza has hosted several events in Winter and Spring 2017 that focused on civil rights and resources for immigrants.
The series started Jan. 31 with a talk by Jose Antonio Vargas, an undocumented immigrant who grew up in Silicon Valley, became a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and founded Define American, a nonprofit media and culture group.
Later the same day, attorney Alison Kamhi from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center spoke about federal immigration policy under the Trump administration.
The ILRC's Kamhi returned to campus Feb. 8 for a practical workshop on legal rights and real-world scenarios for encounters with immigration officials.
Attorneys from the Asian Law Alliance visited the campus on two days, Feb. 13 and 27, to provide free consultations for undocumented students who had questions about their own circumstances or the immigration status of family members.
On May 5, HEFAS hosted its annual summit conference for students at De Anza and neighboring schools. The program, entitled "Build Bridges, Not Walls," included informational workshops about immigration law and policy, artwork and discussions about the experience of being undocumented. The featured speaker wasSarahi Espinoza Salamanca, creator of the DREAMer's Roadmap app. She is a former undocumented student who was named a Champion of Change at the White House in 2014.
Here's a short video of Vargas speaking on campus, Jan. 31:
