The Monarch Program invited panelists to share their personal experiences with immigrant activism and information on how to support undocumented students on campus to celebrate I Stand With Immigrants Day of Action on Oct. 25. 

The program hosted the Undocu Voices Panel in collaboration with the University Leadership Initiative and Rooted, the Immigrant Student Liberation Collective.

A part of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at UT, the Monarch Program’s mission is to help undocumented and immigrant students thrive academically, personally and professionally, according to their website. Monarch advocates for community building on campus and provides students with academic, financial and counseling support, Monarch associate director Alicia Moreno said during the panel.

“When undocumented students come to campus, it is really hard to find a community because being undocumented is a very isolating experience,” Monarch ambassador Arely Flores said during the panel. “Monarch and ULI provide that sense of community where students can find people who also share these hardships and support one another.”

Moreno said students often seek career support from Monarch. Since undocumented students don’t have work authorization, it can be challenging to advertise their skill set for a job when they can’t submit a formal resume to companies. 

Moreno said another big challenge Monarch sees is the need for financial support. Undocumented students are not eligible for work-study or federal financial aid and have limited loan options. Monarch aims to understand these barriers and prevent misinformation on campus regarding what opportunities undocumented students have access to.

“It is possible to do a paid internship while being undocumented,” Moreno said. “It is possible to hold a career and utilize your degree without work authorization. That’s where we come in to fill those gaps, hold trainings and make sure that resources are created and available for the students.”

Monarch graduate assistant Vivian Cigarroa said one way that people on campus can support undocumented students is through visibility awareness. Cigarroa said it is important to acknowledge that the undocumented community exists and to recognize the resilience they’ve shown despite adversity.

“They fought to be here and are getting their education despite everything that’s against them,” Cigarroa said. “It’s really important that we do everything we can to provide accessible resources and opportunities.”

In addition to being informed on resources that can help undocumented students, Flores, an international and global studies junior, said a great way to support undocumented students is by showing moral support and empathy toward their situations. 

“It can be so encouraging when (an undocumented) student can go up to their peers to share their situation,” Flores said. “Just being able to say, ‘Thank you for sharing that. I see you and understand you,’ that makes such a huge difference.”