A Dream No Longer Deferred: The Power and Limits of Conditional Integration on the Social Mobility of Undocumented Young Adults

Author

Hyein Lee, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

6-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Program

Sociology

Advisor

Margaret M. Chin

Committee Members

Nancy Foner

Philip Kasinitz

Van C. Tran

Subject Categories

Migration Studies | Politics and Social Change | Sociology

Keywords

Dreamers, undocumented students, social mobility, DACA, integration, workforce

Abstract

Who are undocumented college graduates and how do they transition into the workforce upon graduation? This dissertation examines the diverse trajectories and social mobility patterns of 1.5 generation, undocumented Latinos, Asians and blacks with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or the “truly undocumented” across the country. Although millions of undocumented young adults, closely resembling their 1.5 generation, documented peers are coming of age firmly rooted in American society, little is known about this population due to the lack of credible data. This project employs a mixed methods approach to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data from hundreds of known undocumented college graduates, collected over the course of six years from TheDream.US, a national scholarship program for undocumented college students.

Contrary to existing literature demonstrating that undocumented college students are ultimately subjugated to under-the-table jobs due to their immigration status, the findings in this study show that with changes in federal and state policies increasing access to financial supports to complete college and work authorization, undocumented young adults are succeeding despite their status. They are achieving milestones that were previously thought to be impossible and finding meaningful jobs. They are breaking cycles of poverty and out earning their parents. However, without pathways to citizenship, they are also reaching a paper ceiling, exposing the limits of conditional integration, and facing consistent reminders of their temporary status and continued fear of deportation. The dissertation seeks to raise areas for research that can enrich our understanding of conditional integration in the U.S.

Recommended Citation

Lee, Hyein, "A Dream No Longer Deferred: The Power and Limits of Conditional Integration on the Social Mobility of Undocumented Young Adults" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5763