Undocumented Immigrants and Institutional Admission Policy Transformation in a Community College: Exploring Policy-Making and Its Consequences

Much of the research on undocumented students has primarily addressed the effects of state policy on undocumented students' access to college and financial aid; it has also examined the educational experiences and challenges unique to undocumented students. However, current literature lacks a thorough investigation of how community colleges address college admissions for undocumented immigrants in a context where no statewide policy exists. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate controversial admission policy changes with respect to undocumented students that took place at a community college in the Northeastern region of the United States; specifically, it looked at the consequences those policy changes had for institutional practices and daily affairs. The findings provide insight into controversial policy changes from an institutional perspective with regard to undocumented students. The study suggests that it is important for the community college and multiple stakeholders to be engaged in a dialogue on sensitive policy issues, such as college access and financial aid for undocumented students, with open communication and fact-finding. The authors provide implications for policy and practice and suggestions for future research.