*This profile story uses fake names to protect the identity of the students.

In 2014, Carlos Martinez immigrated to the United States with his family from El Salvador. Now, he is an ECC student pursuing entrepreneurship.

He is one of nearly 30,000 undocumented students in higher education in Illinois. 

On September 18, an ECC student was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), outside in the parking lot of Building K. Recently, news outlets have reported a rise in ICE activity in Elgin. 

“On a daily basis, I am more aware of my surroundings now as the stories and events that are continuing to scale around the community, ” Martinez said.

Martinez believes that current events have created a “spike of racism,” influencing how people view one another.

With the recent political environment, Martinez sees an opportunity to fight back against injustices. 

“I feel like standing up for one another and bringing people closer…is gonna definitely benefit in the long run,” Martinez said.

He voices that regardless of immigration status people should be able to support and stand up for each other. 

For Carlos Martinez, getting to school safely is not something he takes for granted, it’s a privilege. The accessibility of American education is a dramatic contrast to his childhood in El Salvador, a country once known for its extreme dangers.

“We were the number one world’s most dangerous country in 2014, that being El Salvador… I faced the struggles of going to school, making the long walks to school, and the dangerous paths that you have to take to go to school,” Martinez said.

Coming to the United States and experiencing a different reality has reshaped his relationship with learning. 

Martinez explains that the accessibility to opportunities and resources fuel his efforts in gaining an education. “I appreciate school at a different level and want to pursue a career.”

Martinez found that the obstacles he faced were not only external but internal. He initially believed, alongside other immigrants, that opportunities were reserved for others.

“Immigrants think that, including myself…that things are only exclusive for other people as in nonimmigrants,” he admitted.

This mindset quickly changed when he arrived in America. He explained that he was able to put himself in circles of people that he used to believe were reserved for non-immigrants. With time, he overcame his initial belief and began actively exposing himself to different places and resources.

For Martinez, success is not defined by his degree alone, but by the impact he has on others.

“My end goal with school is…just encouraging people into following their dreams. This is one of the big things that I…push as a movement.”

Years ago, Juan Garcia, an ECC student pursuing a major in business, was another figure in the statistics.

According to Higher Ed Immigration, nearly 500,000 undocumented individuals reside in Illinois. 

He was a Venezuelan fleeing economic collapse. Today, he’s an advocate and trusted individual among fellow immigrants helping them gain legal status. 

Juan Garcia spends his days reviewing immigration forms, a process he knows well. After leaving his native county Venezuela and navigating the complex U.S. asylum system alone, Garcia now uses his knowledge to help fellow immigrants secure their futures.

Garcia arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa. He intended to stay permanently but circumstances made it difficult. The decision to stay meant facing the challenging legal system. Garcia applied for asylum, which proved to be a lengthy process he navigated without help.

“I applied for an asylum, and I got approval,” he recalled. “It was like a two-year process, but at that time I didn’t have, you know, enough money to pay for lawyers. So I did it by myself.”

Before this, Garcia was an engineering student in Venezuela. When he arrived in the U.S., he decided to change course. 

“I studied engineering in my own country…for me, it was hard to start Engineering again… I changed my major to business,” Garcia said.

This switch was driven by a desire for opportunity and a brighter future. He explains, “It’s because I don’t want to work in a factory.”

For Garcia, starting classes at ECC was a positive turning point. He voiced that students and teachers were very welcoming. 

This commitment to awareness and advocacy is exemplified by Manuel Salgado, an active ally for undocumented students, professor in Psychology, and a co-chair of The Undocumented Student Support Committee.

“I [have had] discussions and push[ed] administrators to create policies that are better for undocumented students,” Salgado said. He also helps develop and “facilitate training so that people get up to date about not just what’s happening, but how to better help undocumented students when they serve them.”

In classrooms, Salgado fosters an inclusive atmosphere by advocating for marginalized communities and sharing personal experiences.

“I think constantly mentioning and talking about, not just immigrants, but undocumented students,” he said. “Every time I introduce myself at the beginning of the semester, I tell them I’m a part of immigrant history. Even though…I’m a citizen, my parents immigrated to this country.”

Salgado makes it a priority to create these opportunities for discussion.

“I think that creates a safer environment, and if I can create a safer environment in class,” it benefits everyone, especially those carrying extra burdens,” he said. 

After spending a year and a half in an intensive English program, Garcia found a safe space alongside classmates from various countries, including Yemen, Turkey and Ukraine.

Garcia explains that immigrants often face misconceptions about their level of education. 

“They think and believe that you are not well educated,” he said.

He explained that people get surprised when immigrants are in fact knowledgeable. With this, Garcia plans to defy stereotypes and create his own as he cultivates a legacy of servitude, resilience, and kindness.

Martinez doesn’t let what is happening bring him down. 

“We’re all humans, right,” he said. “My biggest message is [to] help each other out. Stand up for one another and stand up for yourself.”