Low-Income and Legally Vulnerable: Immigration-Impacted Latino Students’ Perceived Barriers to Accessing Essential Needs Resources at a Hispanic Serving Institution

Immigration-impacted college students, including undocumented students and U.S. citizens with undocumented parents, struggle with food and essential needs insecurity. Drawing on focus groups with 38 immigration-impacted undergraduates, we examine barriers to campus essential needs resource use and investigate the extent to which self or parental immigration status influences use. Findings reveal structural, psychological, and operational barriers and highlight how institutional trust, peer networks, and culturally responsive practices can facilitate more equitable access to resources.