DREAM Act (Part II) Breaks Out of Committee, Heads to California State Senate Floor

By Simone Wilson Thu., Aug. 25 2011 at 12:05 PM

Free ride for students sin papers?

The controversial second part of the DREAM Act just overcame its biggest obstacle to becoming a reality.

Governor Jerry Brown signed the first part without blinking an eye last month: Based on that bill, undocumented immigrants can now receive private scholarships from California universities.

But part two, AB 131, is a trickier beast. It would allow all illegal aliens who have graduated high school (or passed the GED) to receive taxpayer-funded financial aid, such as CalGrants. The bill has been stuck in both Senate and Assembly committees...

... for months, because of its large price tag. But as of this morning, the Senate Appropriations Committee has released it to legislators for a final vote.

From here, the largely liberal Senate is expected to pass it, as well as the Assembly, says Luis Quinonez, legislative aid to Assemblymember Gil Cedillos, the L.A. politician who proposed the bill.

Where AB 131's future is still unclear is on the desk of Governor Brown.

"He hasn't explicitly indicated support," says Quinonez. And initially, Brown "did raise concerns about the costs of the bill."

However, the Assemblymember's aid says that since Brown saw it last, DREAM Act (Part II) has been rewritten to exclude adult-school and technical-school students. So its costs are now clearer, and perhaps more feasible amid California's budget crisis.

Still -- it'll cost taxpayers from $20.5 million to $30.5 million a year. (View its full history in the Legislature here.)

The ticket to a better future for undocumented immigrants should be out of Senate by early next week, and to Brown by the first few days of September, according to Quinonez. "All California bills have to be out before September 9," he says, "and we don't want to wait until deadline."

We've contacted Brown's office to feel out his level of support for the bill. (Though on the optimistic front, the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles says "we expect him to sign.")

This is big, guys. Aside from President Obama's radical move toward amnesty last week, it would be the most boat-roacking victory for immigration activists -- especially young, educated ones -- in recent history.

[@simone_electra/swilson@laweekly.com]

Tags:

CalGrants, California State Senate, deportations, DREAM Act, financial aid, illegal immigrants, immigration

We Recommend

Fathomer

does it really matter where you was born? it doesnt mean shit if you think about it because when you little you dont give a fuck its a stupid society we live in. to make ourselves feel we have a better race we have to put another race down. i for one was illegally brought to the US when i was 1 and a half. i grew up here. instead of focusing about race and skin color we should see the bigger picture. were all human beings we all live on planet earth. its nobodys land. open your eyes quit being so ignorant.

Whitestatesofamerica

Fuck this. War is fucking coming!!!! Full blown communism now!!!

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.-Thomas Jefferson

Weve come for mother fucking war spics!!!

Headhunter

In the end, this will greatly benefit the Asian communities. If you look at the numbers, it is Asians who are attending colleges and universities in droves. When was the last time you were seen by a Latino doctor?

Jpolet94

Thank You. All students deserve a chance to succeed- een illegal aliens. Hard work is hard no matter who it comes from. Just because they're illegal they should have their backs rurned on when they can't even get a job since they have no papers to work? Umm, No! People need to stop beinh selfish. The Dream Act deserves to pass and when and if it does I know the students who will be able to take advantage of this opportunity won't let the government down for passing it.

Call 916-445-2841Press 1 for EnglishThen press 2Then press 1Lastly, press 2 to vote in opposition of the DREAM ACT!

Yoo Focker

I do NOT want any of my tax money going to people that have come to this country illegal. How about helping out the citizens? Is CA suddenly out of a deficit that we can just hand out up to $30million dollars to criminals who broke the law entering the country? Ban online poker, but give money to illegal aliens!! WTF???

Fathomer

break the law? the law was made by human beings so the laws dont excist in a bigger picture. you dont want any of your tax money going to illegal student who had NO FAULT at all coming here. there parents forced them to come but they made the best of it and went to school and want to succeed. well in that case DONT hire any latin workers DONT go anywhere were they have latin workers. because its latinos that make this country function. WAKE UP WERE HERE AND WE AINT LEAVING WE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ANY OF YOUR ANCESTORS LEARN YOUR "HISTORY" boom

juckstan

Should be interesting to see how that all turns out.www.anon-toys.cz.tc

patriot11

fafsa, cal grants, n student loans and u still do not have enough money? This country is going down the drain because these kids now a days do not want to work for anything. stop waisting your fafsa on things that u dont need and i'll bet you will have enough.

drops1

You guys need to talk to your online editor senior website design lalalal and get a

+1 button on this thangggg

Angrystudent

WTF! We should concentrate on helping students who were born here first! This is rediculous. I can't get proper schooling because I don't have enough money. Our country is going down the drain.

Fathomer

guess what? this country is going down the drain and it has NOTHINGGGG to do with latinos. NEWFLASH! this country been gone down hill but in fact latinos are heling this country. field work labor work. jobs that NOBODY else would do they do. this country is goig down the drain because its built on lies and corruptivness not because of latino students. learn your facts before youday something and sound completly stupid :)

HeSaid1

Get ready for a civil war between states who harbor and abet ILLEGAL ALIENS and those who do not wish to dilute their society, economy, and education with them. When our government and officials openly defy the rule of law, use public funds, and put non-citizens ahead of their own and LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, it is time for a radical change. Revolution anyone?

patriot11

all because the federal dream act did not pass.Undocumented students had to pay out of state tuition, countless fees, n would not quailfy for any government aid. Now states are giving them financial aid. The federal dream act was a good bill, its a shame it did not pass.

Dreamactnow11

Yes we can. Thanks to all the supporters of this bill especially to asemblyman Cedillo, who has fought tiresly for the immigrant community for years.

bigriggs

I wish the headline read like this...."Dream Act (Part II) Breaks Out of Comittee, Heads to California Trash Bin."

Fathomer

too bad its not. boom

bigriggs

Do you have any idea how to compose a proper sentence or statement? Have you ever heard of sentence structure or punctuation? I almost don't want to mention your pathetic spelling and usage but I guess I just did. Nobody is going to listen to a half wit like you.