Jerry Brown, California Governor, Signs Dream Act For Undocumented Immigrant Students

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Monday that allows college students who entered the United States illegally to receive limited financial aid, the Associated Press reports.

AB 130, also known as the California Dream Act, is the first of a series of two bills. The second part would make undocumented students eligible for public scholarships -- this second half is being held in the Senate Appropriations Committee, Pasadena Star-News reports. Brown is also expected to sign the second piece of legislation, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The piece of legislation Brown signed today passed through the state Senate less than two weeks ago. It grants those who currently qualify for in-state tuition further eligibility for private scholarships funded by nonstate sponsors.

California joins several other states across the country that offer tuition breaks to undocumented immigrants, including New York, New Mexico, Texas and Maryland.

Most recently, Connecticut passed legislation that would permit undocumented immigrants to apply for in-state tuition at the state's public universities.

AB 130, unlike the federal DREAM Act proposal, does not create a pathway for undocumented immigrant students to become U.S. citizens.

Comments

[Maria Vermes Labrie]

11:11 PM on 09/06/2011

Shame on You Jerry Brown!! How can You support criminals!? Anybody who is here illegaly is a criminal because it is a crime to be here illigaly. I am a immigrant BUT LEGAL> My grandson is the son of a single mom, who is a teache-low salary- and can NOT get any grant or any help!!!!

[mbaya watu]

03:20 AM on 09/04/2011

I dont even know what this state has come to. We have been in a budget crisis for years, we want to cut social services, layoff teachers, layoff police, firefighte­rs, cut medicaid, close state parks and beaches etc.. The one place they NEVER discuss cutting are the benefits to illegal immigrants­. How do you stop them from coming here if when they do they are rewarded? If Im in a poor country why would I stay there if I can come here and get EBT card, housing assistance­, free medical, free education for me an my kids and college assistance which will most likely be free to. If we are going to do this we may as well get rid of borders and immigratio­n rules and laws. I can tell you there would be no way to keep me from crossing either if I know all I have to do is drive across to FREEDOM...­. This is sickening.

[SOCO78]

12:37 PM on 09/02/2011

What about the students who are NOT breaking the law? What are they going to get?

[mbaya watu]

03:22 AM on 09/04/2011

Increased tuitions

[intellectualTradition]

02:32 PM on 07/29/2011

un-freegan-believable. another reason CA needs to be roped off and marshall law implemented.

[Binea]

01:57 PM on 07/29/2011

I cant get ahold of Gutierezz because I am not a constituant of his..anyone know how I can contact him Directly ? I have a story that may help him with the Dream act

[Jane Michaels]

02:57 AM on 07/29/2011

WHEN YOUR STATE IS GOING BANKRUPT, MAKE IT WORSE BY GIVING AWAY MORE FREE STUFF TO FOREIGN INVADERS WHO'VE COME TO TAKE YOUR JOBS THAT NO LONGER EXIST. HOW MANY KNIVES TO THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO DRIVE INTO THE HEART OF CALIFORNIA BEFORE IT DIES?

[ltinajero]

12:58 AM on 07/29/2011

I HAVE NO WORDS BUT THIS IS BS!!! NO LEGALIZATION LAWS ARE TO PASS, MILLIONS IS INVESTED IN PROTECTING OUR BORDERS FOR THEM TO NOT CROSS, THEIR MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET JOBS, BUT THEN THEY MAKE IT SO EASY FOR THEM TO GET ASSISTANCE ALL YOU HAVE TO BE IS ILLEGAL AND CHANGE YOUR NAME ONCE,TWICE AND YOU QUALIFY FOR WIC, MEDI CAL, WELFARE, FOODSTAMPS EVEN FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING AND NOW MONIES FOR THEM TO GO TO SCHOOL. SHOOT NO WONDER THEY WANT TO BE HERE THEY GET IT ALLLLLL!!! BUT IF I A US CITIZEN WERE TO LOOSE MY JOB TOMORROW I WOULD QUALIFY FOR JACK SH@# BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THEM I HAVE MADE TO MUCH MONEY SO I WOULD HAVE TO STARVE, LOOSE MY HOME, CAR AND CREDIT THE POWERFUL COUNTRY WE ONCE WERE IS NOW NON EXISTANT!!!!

[rrartuso]

05:00 PM on 07/28/2011

As a disabled vet ..my kid has to pay $251.00 per credit hour plus books and fees .....
HERE CONTRIBUTE THIS

[danielnolan99]

10:09 AM on 07/28/2011

THIS IS WRONG! My taxpayer dollars are being used to help ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS? What is the logic?

[Jose Villafuerte]

01:32 PM on 07/28/2011

oh no the humanity!...helping out other human beings that are getting an education and thus moving america forward. that pay taxes as well so they help out america as much as you do oh no wait but they do not get tax returns so i guess they help america more. how awful!!!

[mbaya watu]

03:50 AM on 09/04/2011

If they want to help America do it the right way, enter legally! There is no way most illegals can pay the taxes necessary for the social services they get. If they have a job most likely they are paid under the table meaning no taxes are taken, since they are undocumented even if they have a job and especially if they have kids they qualify for social services most natural citizens have to fight to get. When they pay sales tax on items using the EBT card they got, that does not help America at all. Let me ask you this. If someone broke into your home and started using the resources, electricity, water, food, money but they sweep the kitchen floor would that make it alright with you? I really doubt it.

[IndyVoter777]

09:02 AM on 07/28/2011

If anyone knows about a class action lawsuit regarding this please let me know. I would like to join it.

[Kalifornian818]

05:06 PM on 07/27/2011

Strange mean while CA seniors are being cut in services.

[PtaRay]

03:21 PM on 07/27/2011

Wouldn't it be a shame if we just allowed the folks who come here to remain uneducated, knowing full well many will remain and show up in other states as well. Still being part of the system, since the true need for reform is constatntly mixed with the rhetoric and the games played , not actually dealt with. Their parents brought them here, they did not ask.

The state economy , like it or not depends greatly on the labor many of these parents who brought their chioldren here and many employers hire them for cheap labor. Better to educate those who are no doubt either in your schools already or walking the streets potentially becoming druggies, or gang bangers.... we might not like that fact they are illegal, but uneducated and running about poor and ripe for cartels or welfare is worse.
Maybe the radicals in washington will work on REAL legistlation and not just abortion, union busting and wall street welfare, or voter suppression.

Many of the "I have mine, you just didn't try for yours" folks are the product of unions, and parents who took advantage of the governments programs if not for the government, their empires would never have been possible. LEGAL hispanics and African Americans took a much harder hit then most others overall in this GOP policy created reccession and current fiasco Obama is trying to get us out of. REALITY needs addressed, rhetoric needs silenced.

[bigmac4923]

10:54 AM on 07/27/2011

Are you kidding me? Like California isn't broke enough as it is!

"AB130 will allow undocumented students already eligible for in-state tuition to apply for and receive private scholarship funding." The private scholarship funding part doesn't bother me so much, but how are these kids eligible for in-state tuition in the first place? And AB131 is absolutely ridiculous. That's the one that allows them access to public scholarships. This sounds like a pretty blatant attempt to get on the good side of the Hispanic community. It would be one thing if it somehow helped them gain citizenship - after all, the ones who come looking for education usually aren't the ones running drugs - but it's just not prudent to be giving these to people who are likely going to just leave or stay here undocumented.

[PtaRay]

04:44 AM on 07/27/2011

Many of you folks need to get the facts.
This does not just give all illegals the go ahead, it starts the process for those who are essentially illegal by being brought by parents and educated as Americans in their hearts.

As in they were kids and most kids don't decide to illegally come to this country, so they are sort of casualties of a desire to better ones lives in this country, via their parents.

They want to now become legal and contributory citizens, via continued education (a good thing) or military service (also a good thing as we are in wars) . Either way, they are willing to prove their belief in the country they love by working hard and applying themselves. (another good thing to see done)

This is an ethic many "legal" Americans of ALL colors do not take too seriously at times.

(that's how I see it from what I have read, and experienced)

[bigmac4923]

11:05 AM on 07/27/2011

"AB 130, unlike the federal DREAM Act proposal, does not create a pathway for illegal immigrant students to become U.S. citizens."
That is my problem with it. I have no problem with supporting their education, but part of the deal needs to be that they become citizens. We want more educated people, of course, and we should want to keep them here and we should want them to enter into the system so that they can start paying back those scholarships later in life through taxes.

[Brandon Baier]

03:49 PM on 07/27/2011

I see your point entirly. My hope would be that the path to citizenship is both intrinsic and instrumentally a biproduct of the program, thats just my hope though. In theory, if the TEA party would get off their backs, the efforts involved with studies at UCLA for example would endevour to create new citizens.

[Jane Michaels]

02:59 AM on 07/29/2011

You need to get the FACT that CITIZENS should be first in line for State services, NOT FOREIGN INVADERS. It's bad enough they take the lower paying jobs, but now you want to PAY FOR THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION TO TAKE YOUR HIGHER PAYING JOBS? ARE YOU LIBERALS SUICIDAL OR SOMETHING?

[allisonisa39e]

04:11 AM on 07/27/2011

This gives the young of every country in the world the chance to live, study and learn American ways at an American University.
It is a possible goldmine for the radicals of Iran, North Korea, Yemen, Somali etc. They will have the opportunity to scout the best places for suicide bombers in San Francisco, L.A. Sacramento, Davis, San Diego etc.
Way to go Governor Brown.

[waterprise2]

10:55 AM on 07/27/2011

You are so, shall I say: "uninformed". This particular act is for children of illegal aliens whose parents brought them here when they were small children. It is not applicable to just any ol' illegal alien. As children, these particular now young adults had no choice to come to this country. Now they just want to be *real* American citizens and contribute to the greatness of their new country. Their parents did wrong, not them.

[opine Ron]

01:12 AM on 07/29/2011

Bank robbing parents did wrong too; doesn't mean that their kids get to keep the money.