Anxiety Mounts Among Students Amid Policy Uncertainty
Emilo, a first-generation Mexican American and journalism student, finds himself deeply concerned as he follows news updates, particularly those related to potential policy changes by the Trump Administration. His worries are shared by many who fear these changes could dramatically affect their lives.
“The citizenship topic is worrying, and so it’s like, my whole life could change within a couple months here,” Emilo stated. “I’m American at the end of the day, I’m proud of my heritage, but I was born and raised here, so it’s a bit like, where do I go?”
Adding to the anxiety is the recent temporary halt on federal loans and grants, which sent shockwaves through the university community. Students like Emilo, who depend heavily on financial aid, are left wondering how they will continue their education without this support.
“I receive a lot from financial aid, and I’m guessing a lot of them are grants. So the idea of having that lack of funding for my own education is worrying, because then at that point, I won’t be able to seek out my education or finish it off,” he expressed.
Fortunately, the UndocuPack program is available to assist students like Emilo. Janet Nejera, who manages the program, emphasizes the numerous resources they offer, both on campus and within the community.
“They also have access to our community resources, whether it be legal, whether it be health care, if they need support with admissions and records or financial aid, our office can help guide them through some of the processes and support that are available to them,” Nejera explained.
Additionally, initiatives like Cafe con Pan and UndocuChats provide group discussions, facilitated by licensed psychologist Christina Cendejas, in collaboration with The Multicultural Center and UndocuPack. These sessions provide a safe environment for students to voice their concerns.
For those unable to attend these sessions, the counseling services offer flexible scheduling to accommodate student needs. “As a student, you can pick a time, maybe starting at like 11 a.m., all the way till like 6 p.m. at night, so hopefully that can work with students’ schedules,” Cendejas mentioned.
Appointments can be made online via the counseling service website. Despite the rising stress and anxiety levels, there hasn’t been an increase in counseling appointments, possibly due to fears about the confidentiality of their information.
Counseling services are governed by HIPAA regulations, ensuring that personal information remains protected. ICE cannot access medical records without a warrant approved by a judge and HIPAA, Cendejas confirmed.
Cendejas also noted, “I think when there is fear, sometimes students choose to isolate or to withdraw from different services, because there is fear of what that could look like, how that information possibly could be used [for].”
Emilo and others are also concerned about potential impacts on their personal lives, including increased discrimination. Cendejas reassures students that they have faced challenges before and emerged resiliently.
“In terms of our Latino and Hispanic students, I’ve noticed more concerns related to possible impacts of maybe increased discrimination, as had happened with the last time Trump was elected, and I also think it’s important to remember that there’s still this sense of hope, where for many people, we’ve been through other challenging and uncertain times before,” she said.
Emilo remains hopeful, reminding himself that he’s not alone and is determined to utilize the available resources while advocating for understanding and open-mindedness among peers. “I think people just need to keep an open mind. I think hearing out everybody is important, and understanding everybody’s perspective is how we move forward and how we get to a point where everyone feels safe,” he concluded.
