Biden's New Executive Action: A Brighter Future for Immigrant Children’s Education

By: Gisselle Gonzalez

Photo Taken by Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, President Joe Biden announced a significant executive action aimed at protecting undocumented immigrant spouses and children of U.S. citizens. This policy secures families and enhances the educational prospects for immigrant children, offering them a better chance at higher education and future success. 

Biden’s executive action aims to provide stability by protecting undocumented family members from deportation. This move is crucial for creating a secure environment that allows children to focus on their education without the constant fear of family separation. According to Michael Williams, “the action will provide legal status and protections for about 500,000 American families and roughly 50,000 noncitizen children of immigrants under the age of 21 whose parents are married to a US citizen.” This new executive action provides a sense of security for many immigrant folks, and as Julie Chavez Rodriguez mentioned, “it’s also a powerful stark reminder of Donald Trump’s unforgivable legacy of ripping crying children away from their parents when he put in place his family separation policy.” This further ties in how this executive action provides immigrant children with a chance to focus on their studies as the fear of deportation can severely impact a child's ability to concentrate and perform academically. But by ensuring family unity, this executive action allows children to focus on their studies, improving their educational outcomes.

Undocumented students often face significant challenges when accessing educational resources due to their status, including limited eligibility for federal financial aid, varying state policies regarding in-state tuition, and complex legal and administrative hurdles. However, President Biden's new executive action helps reduce these barriers, enabling students to fully benefit from educational programs, scholarships, and support services. The College Board has included that, "no federal law prevents U.S. colleges from admitting undocumented students… you should also know that undocumented students can’t receive federal financial aid for college." The College Board's statement highlights a critical challenge for undocumented students seeking higher education. While colleges are not legally barred from admitting undocumented students, the lack of access to federal financial aid presents a significant barrier. This means that undocumented students must rely on alternative funding sources, such as private scholarships, state aid (where available), or out-of-pocket payments, making the pursuit of higher education financially daunting and often unattainable. Additionally, immigrant students struggle with navigating complex legal and administrative processes to find resources and support which can often be expensive. Outside scholarships may be available resources for folks to apply to but are often very limited and selective. Biden’s policy helps reduce these barriers, enabling students to fully benefit from educational programs, scholarships, and support services.

With legal protections, undocumented students can more easily pursue higher education. They can qualify for in-state tuition in more states and gain access to scholarships and grants that were previously unavailable to them. Legalized status for immigrant families provides better job opportunities, leading to economic mobilization. Stable, well-paying jobs enable parents to support their families better and invest in their children's education, creating a positive cycle of financial and educational advancement, “allowing those individuals to seek higher-wage jobs [to] have sizable economic benefit.” 

President Biden’s executive action is a significant step towards supporting immigrant families and enhancing the educational prospects of immigrant children. By providing stability and reducing economic stress, this policy lays the groundwork for these children to achieve academic success and secure a brighter future. The policy not only protects families but also paves the way for economic and social integration, offering immigrant children the opportunity to realize their full potential. For more details on the executive action, read the full article here. For additional insights on challenges faced by undocumented students, visit BigFuture by College Board.