By Maristela Romero

The University of Maryland’s recent focus on inclusivity gave rise to the Year of Immigration theme, which hopes to bring marginalized groups like undocumented students to the forefront of the university’s consciousness.

Undocumented students, called “UndocuTerps,” make up a substantial part of the student population and have limited opportunities compared to fellow students who are legal U.S. citizens.

The university initiates community-building programs for the undocumented community through the undocumented student resources website, a partnership between the Office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) and other university departments. The site offers support and resources like monthly socials and legal counseling for undocumented students, which were not available in previous years. The university only has one faculty member that works with undocumented students, according to a Facebook post by the Undocumented Students Resources account.

Eduardo U., an undocumented student who requested to withhold his last name, worked with Undocumented Student Coordinator Laura Bohorquez last year to set the foundations of a welcoming community for other students facing a similar situation.

The senior communications major said Bohorquez focused on creating safe spaces and recognizing student achievements through monthly newsletters and organized celebrations, despite the students’ unique circumstances.

Eduardo said he credits Bohorquez for addressing the issue of finding financial aid resources for students who are not eligible to apply for state grants and scholarships under their citizenship status.

“One student was graduating and we praised her for her resilience because she had to go through all this stuff,” Eduardo said. “She had to navigate the system at the University of Maryland as being undocumented without all the resources that current students have.”

He also spoke of combating stereotypes during monthly workshops about undocumented students in light of the current political tension around immigration. Eduardo said students of different ethnicities attend these workshops.

“There’s a misconception due to the political climate we’re in now that only Hispanics are undocumented,” Eduardo said. “And that’s completely false…we have Asian undocumented immigrants, we have Middle Eastern undocumented immigrants, and we have European undocumented immigrants.”

Although the university began these initiatives to provide more resources and a feeling of community for diverse groups, they have not reached everyone. Dani, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient said the university itself is not her main source of community support. The senior finance and information systems major requested to be addressed by a nickname.

“I don’t think they do a good job of reaching out to people,” she said. “I’m Hispanic, so the only somewhat support that I feel like comes from the student Hispanic population is the Latinx club.”

Other UndocuTerps like Juan Sandoval became aware of the resources available to him through a class assignment that required him to attend an event about diversity. He found comfort in knowing that there is an inclusive community on campus for students who share his citizenship status.

“When I’ve told people that my status is under DACA they’re usually quite surprised because they thought I was American,” Sandoval, a senior psychology major said. “Mostly because I’ve always been with them or around them, following the same things, doing the same things without any difference at all.”

Though the university intends to help students connect with their community, Dani said it may need to increase its outreach.

Editor’s Note: This article contained a factual error about the existence of an Undocumented Student’s Center at the University of Maryland. “There is only one person (Undocumented Student Program Coordinator) in the entire University who works specifically with undocumented students,” Undocumented Student Resources wrote in a Facebook post. There is, however, an undocumented student resources website, rather than a center. The article has been updated.