The Heritage Foundation released a policy document in February 2026 that spells out how states can try to challenge a 1982 Supreme Court ruling that enshrined immigrant students’ right to attend school.
Articles on Undocumented students
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While federal immigrant agents need to produce a judicial warrant to enter a classroom, they can freely operate in public spaces at and around schools.
While some students living in the US without legal authorization can apply for private scholarships or state-based financial aid, a growing number of states are changing the rules.
Educators must obey the law, meaning schools cannot impede a criminal investigation. But students and teachers have rights, too.
A new study finds that immigrants contribute about $2.2 trillion annually to the US economy, and that might be an undercount.
Critics say undocumented students put a strain on limited school resources, but research suggests otherwise.
At least for now, hundreds of thousands of students can stay in school without facing new hardships.
When researchers took a close look at transcripts for thousands of California community college students, they discovered an encouraging trend in enrollment for undocumented students.
Conservatives on migration claim that allowing the DACA recipients to stay shows disrespect for the law. The moral principles that underlie the American legal system, however, tell a different story.
A scholar counts the winners and losers in Trump’s immigration proposal.
If they pass a deal on DACA, it’s a win for both sides of the aisle and thousands of ‘Dreamers,’ but a loss for millions of undocumented immigrants.
Research shows that for many young people, discovering they were undocumented led to significant mental distress. After DACA they found peace of mind.
Twenty years ago, a sheriff won a lawsuit against a federal gun control law. Today, San Francisco is betting the same argument for state’s rights will stop Trump from defunding sanctuary cities.
Many children who cross the U.S. Mexico border illegally remain undetected and must fend for themselves on the other side.
Trump’s orders on deportations and immigration enforcement signal a hard-line approach without consideration for important factors in the lives of migrants.
What happens when an undocumented immigrant meets a law enforcement officer? Communication plays a major role in these high-stakes interactions.
A team of legal scholars breaks down the factors that will determine which immigrants are most vulnerable for deportation under the new administration.
Twenty states not only accept undocumented students in higher education institutions, but also provide them with financial support.
Students and faculty are demanding universities declare themselves sanctuary campuses. Historically, sanctuary offered both legal and moral protection for the vulnerable.
Top contributors
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Professor of Public Interest Law and Chicana/o Studies, University of California, Davis
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Professor of Philosophy, Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington
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Professor of Criminology, Law and Society and Anthropology, University of California, Irvine
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Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Montana
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Professor, University of California, Merced
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Clinical Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine
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Associate Professor of English, University of California, Irvine
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Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of California, Merced
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Associate Professor of Sociology and Public Policy & Public Administration, George Washington University
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Assistant professor of government, American University School of Public Affairs
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Samuel Weiss Faculty Scholar and Founding Director, Center for Immigrants' Rights Clinic, Penn State
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Ph.D. Student, University of California, Merced
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Professor of Sociology, University of South Florida
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Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine
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Professor of Humanities and Professor of Law, Vanderbilt University