Students who are considered Multilingual Learners (ML) in the State of South Carolina can face obstacles as they progress through school and pursue post-secondary education.
In South Carolina, undocumented students are prohibited from attending public universities. In all 50 states, MLs cannot legally receive any federal funding (think FAFSA) including federal loans, federal grants, and federal scholarships. In addition, here in South Carolina, undocumented students are also prohibited from attaining professional licensure in any field - teaching, medicine, cosmetology, other trades, etc. Without a pathway to college or professional licensure, what opportunities are there for undocumented people in South Carolina?
DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, started in August 2012 under President Barack Obama, but in September 2017, President Donald Trump, announced that his administration was ending DACA immediately. Though it was challenged in courts across the United States, it wasn't until June 2020 that the US Supreme Court concluded that the termination was unlawful. Unfortunately, on October 5, 2022, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas published their decision affirming that DACA is illegal.
On his first day in office in January 2021, President Joe Biden sent his Immigration Bill, also known as the US Citizenship Act, to Congress to help establish a path to citizenship for immigrants, including Dreamers. "Dreamer" is a term given to those who are affected by DACA and the DREAM Act (Executive Order, never passed in Congress). However, this bill has met with great opposition and the original plan to establish a path to citizenship now comes with restrictions and obstacles. The current version of the bill is but a skeleton of the original, leaving out a large number of undocumented immigrant children and youth.
Senators and Representatives on the state and federal levels in South Carolina have not come to a consensus regarding DACA or an updated pathway to citizenship for immigrants already in the United States. In our state, undocumented students are also denied access to certification/licensure tests for high-need fields such as social work, nursing, and skilled trades. However, our Congressmen cannot deny the impact that immigrants have on the South Carolina economy. According to 2020 American Immigration Council (AIC) research, "$176,200,000 [is] the total annual revenue generated by immigrant-owned businesses" in South Carolina.
"Three-quarters of immigrants in South Carolina speak English 'well' or 'very well'" according to the AIC research. This is partly a reflection of the hard work that ML educators put in daily. We must continue to push our students to reach their potential!
