Welcome to Our Community: Support for Undocumented Students
Hi ‘Cats!
Welcome to the “Support for Undocumented Students” page! We are Advancement for the Undocumented Community (AUC), a student group at Northwestern University dedicated to supporting undergraduate and graduate students who are undocumented or have undocumented family members. We’re here to let you know: you are not alone, and there is a community here for you. Our experiences may be different, but when we come together, we create a community that holds and supports one another. You are welcome here, and this space is yours. Together, we belong. We are here to walk this journey with you. Reach out, join us, and let’s build a stronger, supportive community together. With warmth and solidarity, AUC.
Events
Upcoming Events
- Friday, November 21 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Online) - Web-In Quick Question Advising for International Students - Webcast Link
Join OISS advisors on Zoom on Tuesdays from 12pm-3pm and Fridays from 11 am-1pm to ask an international student advisor quick questions. Please note that complicated cases and time-consuming issues will be referred to the student’s assigned advisor for a scheduled appointment. Web-In Quick Question Advising for International Students is for virtual walk-ins. Students will be helped in the order in which they join the virtual call.
Important Links
Quick Links to Resources
- Academic Support Services
- Career Resources
- Legal Resources
- Community of Support
- Student Support Services
- Immigration Policy Tracking Project
- Office of Illinois Attorney General: Know Your Rights Handout
- Chicago Mayor's Office Community Resources
- Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Services: Case Management, Legal, Domestic Violence, LGBTQIA+, Mental Health and Healthcare Access, Human Trafficking, Family Support
Community Resources
Policies
- Illinois Is Targeting Immigration Officials Who Try to Hide Their License Plates.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched “Plate Watch,” a hotline encouraging residents to report law enforcement vehicles with missing or obscured license plates amid reports that federal immigration agents have been swapping or disguising plates during enforcement operations. The move comes as tensions rise between federal officers and the public over aggressive immigration tactics in the Chicago area. (NBC News – October 22, 2025 | KQED – October 22, 2025) - Judge Demands Answers from Federal Authorities on Continued Use of Tear Gas in Chicago Area. A federal judge in Chicago questioned immigration authorities about whether they violated her order prohibiting the use of tear gas and violent tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists, following renewed reports of such incidents. During a court hearing, a Customs and Border Protection official defended the agents’ actions, claiming that tear gas was used only after warnings and in response to escalating crowd behavior. (NBC News – October 20, 2025)
- Trump Asks Supreme Court to Allow National Guard Deployment in Illinois. The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois, arguing they are needed to protect federal immigration agents from what it calls “mob violence” in Chicago and its suburbs. Lower courts have already ruled that there is no credible evidence of rebellion or unrest justifying the president’s actions. (NBC News – October 17, 2025)
- Federal Immigration Officers in Chicago Area Will Be Required to Wear Body Cameras, Judge Says. A federal judge in Chicago ordered immigration officers in the area to wear body cameras after seeing aggressive tactics used against protesters during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The judge also reinforced restrictions on riot-control methods and required ICE’s local field director to appear in court, citing concerns that her previous orders were being ignored. (AP News – October 16, 2025)