Undocumented is a more humane term 

Maryville College has been a place that welcomes students from different backgrounds for quite some time. They open their doors to those who are considered “aliens,’’ or in more humane terms, undocumented citizens. Undocumented means not having the appropriate legal paperwork that allows them to receive benefits and privileges that citizens take for granted—for example, a W2 form for a job or a driver’s license. 

Undocumented immigrants are those who have fled their home countries and hold no legal status in the country to which they move. An undocumented student is a young adult with the same daring dreams as those of a citizen student, but they lack the resources and advantages of a citizen student because they do not have a Social Security number that helps them apply for jobs, scholarships, internships and much more. 

Many of us are aware of the elephant in the room when it comes to immigration laws. Yes, there are thousands of immigrants coming into this great nation in search of a better life, and yes, some of these thousands of immigrants commit crimes. Unfortunately, we assign criminality to others who resemble them in terms of skin color, language and country of origin. 

In other words, the crimes of a few are put upon all Latino people, and this keeps us from truly advancing and growing into that great nation that is talked about so highly. 

Combating racism is one thing, but there are also legal and logistical barriers that complicate giving equal opportunities to undocumented students. It is not a piece of cake to just give someone a document that gives them legal status, but no effort is being put into making a change. 

As a society we have progressed tremendously in our advances of science, our deepening appreciation of literature, our discoveries in mathematics, yet we have failed to find an easier and faster way to aid those who seek a future for not only themselves but for their parents and the hopes and dreams they carry on their backs. 

I am a proud undocumented immigrant student who attends Maryville College. I am also the same girl who was told that college would be impossible to reach because aliens cannot further their education.

I was born in Mexico and was brought into the United States at the age of two. All I know is a life in the United States, yet I am seen as unworthy of citizenship to this nation. I am not the only one. I have friends here on this campus who deal with the same problem, and I have seen firsthand how it affects their everyday lives. 

We cannot drive because we have no license. We cannot apply for a job or a paid internship because we have no Social Security number to give, which also means we do not qualify for scholarships from FAFSA or Tennessee Promise. We cannot apply to many colleges or many scholarships regardless of our outstanding achievements. We cannot study abroad because we have no passport to identify ourselves. We cannot live the opportunities I believe we are meant to live. 

Aside from this restrained life, we severely lack the resources to know how to navigate the future that awaits us with only the scarce resources we have. Immigrant students come from different backgrounds that consist of different languages, beliefs and knowledge. An overwhelming number of immigrants do not know how to navigate college, even the simplest of tasks, because this is their first time doing something like this, and it is not easy. 

We owe it to the students at this college in these positions to find a way to help. With time and dedication, we can find resources that can aid our students and cater to their need to secure their futures. 

Everyone deserves a chance at an education. We are the future, and we are what makes Maryville College live up to its stated mission of “preparing students for lives of citizenship and leadership as we challenge each one to search for truth, grow in wisdom, work for justice and dedicate a life of creativity and service to the peoples of the world.”