Ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office Jan. 20, Northwestern’s Advancement for the Undocumented Community has more than quadrupled its number of events for undocumented students. 

AUC aims to provide comfortable spaces for students with connections to undocumented status, co-president and Medill junior Maria Jose Arango said. 

Arango said this is even more necessary considering Trump is returning to office — and that these issues are close to her heart as a formerly undocumented person.

“I’m not undocumented anymore, but I was until I was 13. I remember being so scared,” Arango said. “By Trump being president, I think he gives permission for people to be (insensitive) to other people who are of color like myself. Seeing how in the room (during meetings), other people are scared, I see how these spaces are so important.” 

AUC is hosting five events in January alone — though they have, until recently, planned about one event per quarter, including workshops and a free immigration consultation. 

Faculty adviser and Weinberg Prof. Marcelo Vinces said AUC increased its number of events in January specifically because Trump is taking office.

“This will be a very hostile government to undocumented students and to international students,” Vinces said.

Weinberg junior and co-president Yoel Sanchez echoed this concern. Sanchez said AUC is continuing to broadcast information such as students’ rights and ways to respond when approached by law enforcement.

“I think Trump’s policies about undocumented individuals have been pretty loud on what he intends to do,” Sanchez said. “He wants as many people out of the country. He’s fine separating families, regardless of if kids have status or not. ”

Sanchez said they are working on connecting with Chicago organizations — such as the HANA Center, which empowers Korean immigrants in Chicago. One of this month’s AUC events is a workshop with HANA Center community organizer Glo Choi on Jan. 15.

The HANA Center is an example of the diversity of undocumented people, according to Sanchez, which he says is often misconstrued.

“I think there’s a growing idea that undocumentation mostly centers around Latino origin individuals,” Sanchez said. “I think just seeing the student body, the people who come to our meetings and then the people who are willing to support, there are stories that aren’t really told.”

AUC’s recent success has also been its co-creation of a new NU website sharing resources for the undocumented community.

Vinces said that the new website — which, coincidentally, came out on Election Day — was the culmination of years of collaboration with university departments.

“It’s one step in the right direction, but websites are only as good as the people behind those resources,” Vinces said. “Another big change is convening all of the people from all those resources that are listed there together, to make sure that we’re on the same page about how we communicate to students.”

Vinces said the club’s eyes will be on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which temporarily delays the deportation of undocumented people who arrived in the U.S. as children. Since DACA is an executive order, it can be legally overturned at any time regardless of the election results, Vinces said. However, he said DACA cases will be more “up in the air” with Trump in office.

According to Arango, AUC welcomes all students, whether they’re undocumented, have familial connections to undocumented individuals or just want to be allies. AUC’s next event is its internship and job workshop for undocumented students on Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Multicultural Center.

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