Editors’ note: Pseudonyms were used for both of the interviewees. These pseudonyms were chosen by the author to preserve the privacy of students quoted.
The Smith College Undocumented Student Organization (USO) has long been supporting and advocating for undocumented students on campus. With the reelection of President Donald Trump, members of USO said they are grappling with heightened fears for their safety and insufficient support from Smith’s administration.
“A lot of [Trump’s] policies are really scary,” said Luciana, an USO member. “Everyone’s scared, but I think for us, a lot of his policies are targeted towards undocumented students, so it feels like our fear is a lot more tangible now.”
President-elect Trump has promised “mass deportations” of undocumented immigrants, recently voicing his intent to use the U.S. military to deport individuals residing in the United States without legal status.
Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra and Police Chief John Cartledge recently reaffirmed that local law enforcement will not assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in deporting immigrants without a judicial warrant.
“All I felt was anger,” said Ximena, another USO member, when describing her reaction to the election, “Because [Trump] won, but more that he won because he used undocumented people as weapons. He spread so much hatred towards a group of people who are literally just trying to survive.”
“We’ve always had to watch out for ourselves,” Luciana said. “We’ve always had to be very careful with how we travel, how we talk about things. We have to consider every possible worst-case scenario, which is something we’ve talked about a lot in our meetings. We’re trying to stay calm, trying to live normally, despite this fear that’s always there.”
In the face of these fears, members of USO have been disappointed by what they feel is a lack of attention towards undocumented students by Smith College administrators.
“I feel like the Board of Trustees, President Sarah and administration as a whole has not really tried to support us through this election. Even in previous years, we’ve had to battle so much with the Smith administration to get their attention,” Luciana continued. “It feels like they don’t care about us.”
Smith states that it provides equal access to institutional need-based financial aid and campus employment for students studying in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
However, Ximena and Luciana said there has not been enough institutional attention given to fulfill these promises of equal access, adding that there is a lack of clarity among both students and staff about what programs undocumented students can access and how.
As they face issues at Smith, undocumented students have unique challenges advocating for their needs. “It’s always a fight with our names on it, which is one of the reasons why it’s so hard for us to advocate for ourselves,” Luciana said. “The minute you start doing that, you put your name on things. Especially now, that’s just so risky for us and we can’t afford it.”
They highlighted that a single staff member is currently responsible for overseeing the wellbeing of both undocumented and transgender students. “It’s unfair to undocumented students, not having enough staff that are trained to help us,” Luciana added.
“I feel appreciative for the things Smith does, I just feel like it shouldn’t be so difficult to have our basic needs met,” Ximena said. “Smith should make clear, ‘These are all the resources that we have for you if you’re undocumented.’”
When asked for comment, Carolyn McDaniel, director of media relations for Smith College, said, “As a residential college we take the safety and privacy of our students very seriously. Students who are concerned about the support we are providing to them should reach out personally to Julianne Ohotnicky, dean of students, or Raven Fowlkes-Witten, program and outreach coordinator for the office of Equity and Inclusion.”
During election season, it was also difficult for undocumented students to field questions about voting without divulging their status. “There were a couple times when I got asked if I was going to vote, and it was kind of awkward,” Ximena shared. “I felt judged when I said no. You can’t say, ‘Oh I can’t vote, I’m undocumented.’”
In the face of the many challenges facing undocumented students, Luciana and Ximena emphasized the importance of allyship within the Smith community.
“Just showing up to our events means a lot to us,” said Ximena. “It helps reach people who might not know an organization like this is on campus.”
This semester, USO hosted a fundraiser where they sold duritos, a popular Mexican snack food. They also hosted a “Noche de Perreo” Halloween party in collaboration with Smith’s Latin American Student Organization (LASO). Last month, USO held an educational panel entitled “Undocumented Voices: Building Futures & Overcoming Challenges,” which welcomed both undocumented students and their allies.
In the future, USO is planning to distribute pins or stickers to allow Smith students to signal their support for the undocumented community.
Luciana said showing support for USO helps members feel more safe in a tumultuous time. “A lot of the issues that come with being undocumented are that, I don’t know if this person is trustworthy or not. Having something that shows a person is trustworthy, that they are trying to educate themselves, that means so much.”
Be First to Comment