Nested Contexts of Support: How the Local Context Shapes School Agents’ Support of Undocumented Students

Undocumented students encounter formidable obstacles in transitioning to college due to legal exclusion from the federal government. School agents, such as postsecondary counselors, are at the frontline of supporting students as they navigate legal exclusion. School agents, however, conduct their work within varying local contexts that either alleviate or exacerbate legal exclusion. Drawing on 50 interviews with school agents in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, I examine how the local context shapes their ability to support undocumented students’ during a critical educational juncture point. Advancing the concept of nested contexts of support, I show the local context shapes the sources of knowledge and resources available to school agents, the challenges they encounter in their role, and their ability to create a welcoming environment.