(Un)deserving Mexican activists: How online news media during the Trump era (un)justly represents undocumented students in higher education across differing state contexts.

Abstract

State and higher education institutional contexts play a powerful role in either restricting or advancing equitable policies and programs for undocumented students in higher education. This article examines the public discourse on undocumented students in higher education across state contexts (California, Tennessee, and Georgia) through a content analysis of news media. Findings show that the content of the news media varies greatly by state. However, the news about the three states was similar in their portrayal of young undocumented immigrants as all Mexican and deserving of public benefits. A better understanding of the public discourse at the state level has important implications for advancing policies and programs for undocumented students in higher education. The findings call for more research that examines how media shapes the public discourse on undocumented students and how this discourse thereby impacts higher education institutions.