Navigating Barriers and Building Support: Institutional Agents' Awareness, Knowledge, and Practices in Serving Undocumented and Daca Students in Higher Education

Background/Purpose
Undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students face intertwined legal, financial, and social barriers in higher education. Institutional agents—faculty, staff, and administrators—play a critical role in mitigating these barriers through both policy implementation and everyday interactions. Yet, these agents often face challenges in providing effective and equitable support. This study explores four dimensions of institutional agents’ engagement: (1) their awareness of undocumented and DACA students’ challenges and needs; (2) their knowledge of relevant policies and resources; (3) their support practices; and (4) the systemic gaps that constrain their awareness, knowledge, and actions. The study also examines whether these dimensions vary by academic discipline (college affiliation) and role (faculty, staff, or administrator). By centering agents’ voices and experiences, this study seeks to identify institutional blind spots and uncover agent-informed strategies for strengthening campus capacity to serve undocumented and DACA students.

Methods
This qualitative study was conducted at a large public university using stratified purposeful sampling. In 2024, ten of fifteen colleges were selected to capture a broad range of disciplinary contexts. Nineteen institutional agents were interviewed, including five faculty, eleven staff, and three administrators, with recruitment continuing until thematic saturation was reached. Analysis employed a hybrid codebook approach, integrating inductive themes from participant narratives with theoretical constructs from Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Framework, social and cultural capital theories, Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, and the diffusion of responsibility model.

Results
Agents’ awareness of undocumented and DACA students’ challenges ranged from low-average to high-average, regardless of role or academic discipline. Awareness was shaped more by personal background, direct experiences with undocumented and DACA students, and participation in ally trainings than by professional title or college affiliation. Even highly experienced agents often rated their awareness as “average,” emphasizing the evolving nature of competence and the uniqueness of each student case. Trained agents exhibited deeper knowledge of relevant policies and institutional resources, enabling them to craft more inclusive and adaptive support strategies. In contrast, untrained agents frequently held fragmented understandings and felt underprepared, often relying on referrals to cultural centers or diversity offices without providing further support. All participants expressed a strong sense of responsibility for students’ academic, professional, emotional, and social wellbeing. However, uncertainty about students’ immigration status, coupled with institutional silos, low-visibility communications (e.g., mass email training announcements), and the voluntary nature of ally programs, hindered trust-building and limited the scope of effective support.

Discussion/Implications
While many institutional agents are deeply committed to supporting undocumented and DACA students, inconsistent awareness, uneven training, and structural barriers limit their effectiveness. To address these gaps, participants recommended creating a centralized, non-disclosing resource hub with updated information on financial aid, career pathways, and emergency support. Designating departmental liaisons with expertise in undocumented and DACA issues can help localize and tailor support. Embedding mandatory, ongoing ally trainings into institutional practice—with visible support from senior leadership—will promote a culture of equity, encourage proactive engagement, and ensure all undocumented and DACA students receive informed, compassionate, and coordinated support across the university.