Final Solution

Pain points experienced by undocumented workers:

Anti-immigration rhetoric
- Not knowing the direction of the new administration
- Obama deported the highest number of illegal immigrants in history
- Fear
- Won’t report crime due to fear of deportation
- Power trip from police department
- Current administration allows the public to discriminate
Access to information, hard to them to “know their rights”
U-visa
Mixed statuses
Can’t go outside
If English isn’t their first language, it’s difficult for them to ask for help
To feel safe on campus
High school students drop out of class from fear
Undocumented individuals are highly susceptible to be trafficked

Legality:

In Cali, undoc individuals are able to get driver's’ licenses, Florida, no.
Some have SSN or TIN

Needs:

Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Have a pathway to citizenship / residency
A sense of security
What are the requirements for DACA application?
- This will give us an insight into what is needed for a defined identity

User testing / surveying of solution:

Initial problem statement:

How might we create an alternative system of ID for undocumented individuals who are unable to receive proper governmental protection such as DACA in order to ensure that they can work legally.

Initial solution:

Big MNCs vouching for small businesses that hire undocumented workers to provide them a form of “privatised” ID. Leveraging their economic contribution as a wager for their identity, create a blockchain history of their contribution to economy through taxes to prove their past and their importance in society.

Issues:

Incentives are not aligned
- Small businesses and corporations don’t have the monetary incentive to support undocumented workers
- They would have to pay higher wages, healthcare and benefits for those workers
- Sponsorship fees
Not feasible, too big of a change
Too dangerous for undoc workers to expose themselves
Relies too much on goodwill, philanthropic motives of MNCs and small businesses
The new ID will have difficulty in implementation
- How to start the process
- Might still discriminate against undocumented individuals since they’ll be marked as “undocumented”
  - Possibly can have documented people sign up for the ID as well to disguise the fact
  - But then how would you incentivise documented individuals to participate? E.g. NYC ID, but what benefits?
Though it does seem like a utopian goal for undocumented workers to get a form of ID to secure their living means
- But it can be a bandaid to the current system instead of a full reform

New Problem Statement:

How might we provide alternative scholarship opportunities to undocumented students who might or might not be eligible for DACA in order to increase their public financial support / secure funding for their high education.

New Solution:

Partner with corporations / companies that are interested in hiring talented students and create a program that provides funding for students that in return commits to a job at the sponsoring firm.

It will be a portal for access to information through a database of firms and opportunities. Create a community for undocumented students to communicate and connect through a message board. Innovative corporate sponsorship program.

TO DO: