California DREAM Act Gives Financial Aid to Illegal Immigrants
Gov. Jerry Brown signs DREAM Act (Photo by Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press)
The California DREAM Act is making news again. Last weekend, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the California DREAM Act, AB 131. The new law gives illegal immigrant students that are “on the path to citizenship” access to the state’s public financial aid. It goes into effect January 1, 2013.
The LA Times reports that Brown’s signature on the bill fulfilled a campaign promise to allow high-achieving students who want to become citizens the opportunity to attend college, regardless of their immigration status.
“Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking,” Brown said in a statement. “The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us.”
Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles, said Saturday was “a great day for California, for education and for immigrant students who have kept their end of the bargain and continue to give their best to the only nation they know as their home.”
But Republican lawmakers and conservative groups assailed Brown for approving AB 131.
“It’s morally wrong,” said Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-San Bernardino). “We have just created a new entitlement that is going to cause tens of thousands of people to come here illegally from all over the world.”
The DREAM Act is an acronym for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors. Wikipedia.org defines the bill:
This bill would provide conditional permanent residency to certain illegal aliens of good moral character who graduate from US high schools, arrived in the US as minors, and lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment. If they were to complete two years in the military or two years at a four year institution of higher learning, they would obtain temporary residency for a six year period. Within the six year period, they may qualify if they have “acquired a degree from an institution of higher education in the United States or has completed at least 2 years, in good standing, in a program for a bachelor’s degree or higher degree in the United States” or have “served in the armed services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, has received an honorable discharge”. Military enlistment contracts require an eight year commitment, with active duty commitments typically between four and six years, but as low as two years. “Any alien whose permanent resident status is terminated… shall return to the immigration status the alien had immediately prior to receiving conditional permanent resident status under this Act.” This bill would have included illegal immigrants as old as 35 years of age.
The website HumanEvents.com says:
Proponents of the Dream Act are rejoicing because Governor Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown signed for their long-awaited legislation; opponents are in disbelief.
Upon the passage of the first half of the Dream Act in July of this year, California Assemblyman Jeff Miller (R-Corona) expressed his disillusionment with Governor Brown, “This legislation, in no uncertain terms, subsidizes higher education for illegal immigrants. “
AB 131 would give students already sheltered by AB 540 the opportunity to apply for and receive financial aid from the state of California. Illegal students will now be granted access to Cal Grants, among other state aid programs, in order to pay their tuition costs.
Illegal students are already subsidized under AB 540, a law that makes them eligible for in-state tuition, thus paying about two and a half times less than what an out-of-state student would otherwise pay. (The University of California website shows tuition for residents is $13,200 and out-of-state students pay $36,078, that’s an additional $22,878.)
The reported cost of AB 131 is at least $13 million. Although, judging from the economic dire straits of the Golden State, these numbers seem to reflect the bottom of the projected estimates.
“The future of California’s economy depends on the ability of these students to graduate, to perform well and to contribute. This creates an opportunity,” Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, a Democrat from Los Angeles who sponsored the 2012 measure, told ABC News affiliate KABC-TV.
Can California’s already crippled economy hold up to the expense of the DREAM Act? Weigh in with your comments below.
Filed Under: Immigration News
