Undocumented and Unafraid: Understanding the Disclosure Management Process for Undocumented College Students and Graduates

Previous qualitative studies on undocumented college students have primarily focused on their lived experiences; however, little research has been done to consider the disclosure process or identity management for undocumented students, particularly students who self-identify as “undocumented and unafraid.” Using research on legal consciousness and disclosure of hidden identities, I employed Latin@ critical race theory as an analytic lens to examine the many processes through which undocumented students “come out” within the context of higher education and beyond. Based on interviews with 7 Latin@ undocumented college students and graduates, in this article I explore 3 themes: biographical construction of legal status, the fluidity of fear, and empowered disclosure.