Michael Vazquez, “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Students During the Trump Administration”
Mentor: Rachel Buff, History
In 2012, President Barack Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The DACA program has allowed young people who were brought to this country illegally by their parents to be free from deportation for two years, to receive permission to study, work and obtain a driver’s license. During Trump’s presidency, his administration fought to end the program in which 800,000 young adults have benefited from. This study looks to demonstrate how the Trump administration’s stance on DACA shaped the educational experiences of DACA students in higher education. To gain a better idea of a DACA student’s experience within higher education, a survey was created for DACA students at UW-Milwaukee (UWM). Among the several questions that I developed, I asked how they were supported during Trump’s presidency. I also asked what UWM can do to assist them in staying enrolled and completing their bachelor’s degree.
My name is Michael Vazquez and I will be graduating next month with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Latin American Caribbean United States Latinx Studies. In the summer of 2020, I conducted research on the Recruitment, Retention and Success of Latinx Students in Higher Education and my results showed that support is needed for our DACA students. DACA recipients/students have struggled especially during Trump’s administration and I decided to conduct research on their struggles/educational experience. Furthermore, I wanted to highlight the resources that have demonstrated their persistency. My goal is to continue this research as I pursue a master’s degree in the fall. I was able to conduct such research with the help and guidance of Dr. Rachel Buff. Thank you for viewing my research!
Michael, this is such important work, and it really helps to amplify extant empathy and understanding, personally, and beyond the overly-politicized decisions of those in government. I want to share this work far and wide!