Not all universities admit undocumented immigrants for in-state tuition rates, but UNM does.
At El Centro de la Raza, Andrew Gonzalez, student programs specialist, said he gets at least two phone calls a day from undocumented immigrants wanting to apply to UNM.
"Potentially, I think it is sort of a hot issue if you will, and there may be the impression that they are not held to the same admissions process," said Robin Ryan, associate director of admissions at UNM. "We hold them to the same guidelines as we do any other student."
UNM has enrolled 40 undocumented immigrants. Applicants are not classified as residents by state law until they have been in the state for 12 months. They must have graduated from a New Mexico high school and have fulfilled all admissions requirements before being accepted for in-state tuition.
Records for admitting undocumented immigrants could only be pulled from as far back as 1998, but Ryan said she is sure UNM was accepting the students at in-state rates before that.
Luis, as one of many undocumented immigrants from Mexico, said his biggest fear is that somehow the government will report him, and he will be sent back. Otherwise, he said, he has never had any problems here, and everyone has been nice about his immigrant status.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Federal laws are not clear on the issue of admitting students for in-state rates, but Luis said with working and paying taxes, there is no reason they shouldn't be.
"I don't think it's wrong because we are not doing anything wrong," Luis said. "We are paying taxes like anyone else. It doesn't hurt anybody and helps the economy."
To better inform undocumented immigrants on issues they might face at UNM, Gonzales sits down with students to discuss options and resources. He added he is very straightforward in letting students know there is no government financial aid available to them.
Working full time and typically taking 15 hours, Luis, who preferred not to give his last name, attends school only part time this semester because he said keeping up with tuition has been a real challenge. Without the in-state rate, he said, college might have been beyond his economic reach.
UNM is not preventing unconventional students from coming here, and the university is not denying education to anybody able to pay their dues, Luis said.
UNM is not alone in admitting undocumented immigrants at in-state rates. Just last fall, NMSU began doing the same, but TVI does not. Some states, like California and Texas, have laws mandating the admission of students at those rates.
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would also help alleviate the financial stress students face. If the bill passes, it would eliminate the federal provision deterring states from providing in-state rates without regard to immigrant status. Some students could also apply for legal status if they grew up in the United States.
Because students are not eligible for government financial aid, New Mexico advocates have been pushing for a proposal change that would allow undocumented immigrants to be eligible to receive the lottery scholarship.
Gonzalez said although it is not much, El Centro de la Raza offers a scholarship designed for undocumented immigrants. He said many of the students he sees not only work to pay for school, but some are also working to support their families.
"They are the most dedicated students I've seen," Gonzalez said. "Even though they are limited on resources, they are the ones excelling in their classes."
A handful of undocumented immigrants have graduated from UNM, and Ryan said most of the students she works with are highly motivated and have a desire to succeed.
"They work hard for their education because they are not eligible for aid," she said. "It benefits the student, and having an educated student benefits the state."
