June 24, 2020
Since the announcement last week, Career Services continues to celebrate the Supreme Court’s opinion citing the unlawful termination of DACA in September 2017. It has been too long since we have seen a victory for our immigrant population and too long that individuals have waited for this decision. This year has not only brought the stressors associated with COVID-19, but for many of our undocumented students and supporters, the additional stress of the unknown status of their protections, and those of their loved ones. We are so impressed by the resilience and courage of the undocumented community at UCSB.
Oftentimes, legal opinions create more questions than answers, especially questions specific to an individual’s future status and considerations. We recommend reaching out to the appropriate departments at UCSB for resources and guidance:
- Undocumented Student Services: USS provides general counseling to all students seeking support related to being undocumented and facilitates programs and events to build community. Please check your USS Newsletter for the latest information regarding USS services and programs.
- UC Legal Immigration Center: UC Legal Immigration Center provides FREE immigration legal services to UC students and their immediate family members.
Although this is a victory for many within our undocumented community, we also understand this victory may be temporary, and that there is a significant population of students that do not qualify for DACA and subsequently are unable to legally work within the United States. Career Services supports all students including undocumented students with and without DACA status. Below are some services specifically developed for all undocumented students:
- Undocumented Students Community Page: This webpage provides information regarding the intersectionality of career development and identity as an undocumented student, including the Income Generation for Undocumented Students Toolkit (a collaboration between Immigrants Rising and the University of California).
- Monarch Opportunity Scholarship: In collaboration with Undocumented Student Services and the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, we are expanding the Monarch Opportunity Scholarship to provide more experiential learning opportunities for the 2020-2021 academic year.
- Dream Scholar Career Development Program: Every quarter, we host a career development program specifically designed to bring together the undocumented community focusing on different themes of career development. Applications will open in Fall 2020 for our next program.
- Undocumented Community Liaison: Maddie Foster is available for appointments to discuss future career opportunities available to students with and without work permits. You can request an appointment online through Handshake.
Career Services is committed to continually remain up-to-date on career development and employment-related information for our undocumented community. Your home is here. Your career is here.