Jefrey Umaña Muñoz is an undocumented UCLA student studying Chicano, Central American, and Labor Studies.
The young man came to the United States at the age of two and, although he qualifies for the DACA program, he does not have protection.
Umaña Muñoz requested it in 2017, the year in which the administration of former President Donald Trump suspended the program. This left him unprotected and he became part of a group of more than 44,000 California college students disqualified from the DACA program.
Jacqueline Mata from CNBC en Español, explains the benefits.
“An order later froze all the applications, that’s what happened with my case,” says Umaña Muñoz.
This circumstance prevents the young man from working legally to help pay for his studies.
“I am still dependent on my father, he also supports and contributes to my studies,” said Umaña Muñoz, who completes the help provided by her father with scholarships.
But a measure approved by the Board of Trustees of the University of California would allow students like him to work on university grounds.
The new norm, approved in May of this year, eliminates the restrictions to hire undocumented students.
The restriction has been in place since 1986, when the Immigration Reform and Control Act was passed, which prohibits employing those without legal documents.
Federal immigration laws, in this case, did not affect the implementation of this measure, since the University of California system is a state agency and does not belong to the private sector, according to legal experts.
“The federal congress could change it, also review what the states are doing,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, director of the UCLA Immigration Policy Center. “But, in doing so they have to clearly write that it covers the states.”
Undocumented youth, despite being able to legally study at California universities, are limited from obtaining jobs on university campuses.
Although it has already been approved, the thousands of university students who would benefit from it are pushing for its immediate implementation.
To do this, they will hold five summits to expedite the process. The events will be attended by students and members of the Board of Directors of the University of California System.
“They are going to complete the plan by the end of November,” Arulanantham said. “So, (we expect it implemented) by January 2024.”
According to the UCLA Law Center, an estimated 27,000 undocumented students graduate from high school in California. They can enroll in universities but cannot legally work, even if they are pursuing a master’s or doctorate.
Umaña Muñoz just waits for that opportunity to be offered.
“(I want to earn) my own money that I can contribute to my studies,” said the young man. “I will also have the opportunity to be someone else just like my other real classmates.”
