Summary

This is the first in a three-book series, followed by Undocumented and Unafraid: Tam Tran, Cinthya Felix, and Immigrant Youth Movement, a tribute to Tam and Cinthya that captures the voices of a new generation who are coming out of the shadows, making history, and changing our country; and Dreams Deported: Immigrant Youth and Families Resist Deportation, featuring stories of deportation and of the courageous immigrant youth and families who have led the national campaign against deportations and successfully challenged the president of the United States to act.

This book features stories by:

Mario Escobar: A former child soldier from El Salvador who recently attained asylum in this country.
Tam Tran: A UCLA graduate who testified before the US Congress on the status of undocumented students.
Grace: A Korean student who gave up her student visa to qualify for AB 540 so she could attend UCLA.
Antonio: A Mexican immigrant who arrived in this country at the age of four and who struggled to finance and complete his college education.

Written by the students themselves, these stories are unique and diverse, but they all demonstrate the pain, financial hardship, and emotional distress the students face, as well as their ultimate triumph when they graduate from UCLA. Underground Undergrads serves as an educational and research tool by providing a summary of the history of legislation impacting undocumented students in higher education along with a resource guide of organizations that advocate for student rights.