Jesus Palafox, 21, came to the U.S. illegally when he was 11. He was the last member of his immediate family to make it across the border, posing as a son of a relative who was an American citizen.

Palafox knew he wanted to attend college, but as he grew older, he realized he’d face a monumental challenge: in Illinois undocumented students can pay in-state tuition at public universities, but they’re ineligible for most student loans. Meanwhile, the number of affordable alternatives is dwindling. One option, Chicago’s City Colleges, may soon be out of reach if the city ends open admission, as was proposed last summer.