A lecture held on Oct. 5 in the Golda Meir Library focused on immigration and its impact on education in America.

Titled “Illegal Minds,” the discussion aimed at informing the public of the struggle undocumented immigrants face in attaining higher education.

UWM History Department Coordinator Rachel Buff spoke of the "experience of belonging to a place yet lacking full rights."

"There is a crisis in the country right now," Buff said.

She addressed the case of citizenship with restrictions, reflecting on the status of African Americans and Asians in the history of America and the present status of undocumented immigrants, adding, “citizenship in this country has always been with restrictions."

Those who are unable to gain access to higher education end up joining the army, which accepts them readily and gives them a chance to gain citizenship, or find themselves in prison after turning toward a life of crime.

Buff also said that citizenship in the U.S. is also about a chance for immigrants to have their voices heard.

“At stake is democratic citizenship in the state and in the world.”

Buff’s solution would be denizenship, where immigrants would be granted certain rights given to US citizens. She said America needs new laws that allow access to public higher education as well as federal aid and loans to immigrants with a high school degree.

“Educated immigrants are a necessary good costing little.”

Buff said that approximately 65,000 undocumented immigrants in the United States that have graduated from a K-12 institution. However, taking the next step to higher education is where they often run into trouble. The students have a difficult time getting aid because of the lack of social security numbers and fear of persecution and/or deportation because of their status.

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