DAVIS, Calif. ― Miguel Davila had reasons to be skeptical when the University of California, Davis dedicated a bright, clearly marked space on campus for students who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
Being unauthorized to live and work in the country he has called home since he was 9 had forced the native of Peru to twice turn down admissions offers from other schools because he couldn’t afford to go. He changed the subject when friends asked why he didn’t apply for financial aid.
Relief has replaced whatever doubts the 21-year-old Davila held about the resource center that opened last fall and serves an estimated 200 Davis students lacking lawful immigration status.
With immigration reform stalled in Congress, a small but growing number of colleges are rolling out their own welcome mats for young people residing in the country illegally or, like Davila, under temporary deportation reprieves.
Schools in California, Illinois and other states with large immigrant populations are offering in-house grants, scholarships from private donors, law clinics and additional support for such students.
Starting today, University of California President Janet Napolitano will host a two-day national conference on how colleges and universities can better serve their legally insecure students.
In the seven months since the UC Davis center opened with a $500,000 budget and a full-time director, Davila has received legal advice on studying abroad, career and mental health counseling ― and a sense of belonging.
