California Gov. Jerry Brown recently expressed his support for the ideals of the California Dream Act, a bill that offers financial aid to undocumented college students.
The California Dream Act, like the federal DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act, is meant to extend support to undocumented residents of the United States, particularly young college students. Its primary goal is to ensure that qualified undocumented students have access to scholarly financial support, despite their status as illegal immigrants.
“[The governor] continues to support the principles behind the Dream Act and will closely consider legislation that reaches his desk,” said Eric Westrup, a spokesman for Governor Brown.
Although the original bill was vetoed three times by former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it appears to have more favor with Brown, who is a Democrat. The Democratic Party also has majority control over the Senate, which must approve the legislation before it goes to Brown.
Philip Tan, an associate professor in the school of social work at Cal State Long Beach, echoed Brown’s support of the bill, and said that America should value the resources that undocumented students can provide.
“We need to have a way to help them become citizens,” Tan said. “They are an asset to our society.”
Tan also serves as a mentor for CSULB’s Partners for Success faculty mentoring program, which pairs students who are the first generation in their families to earn a college degree with faculty members who help them adapt socially and academically to their situations.
With regard to the Dream Act, Tan said that young undocumented students deserve all the help the government can give them, as they are not to blame for their circumstances. Most of them likely came into the country as children, and had no idea that their presence in America was illegal, according to Tan.
“It’s not their fault,” Tan said. “Their parents are the ones who made the mistake. They are suffering the consequences of their parents’ actions. How are they supposed to know about documentation at twelve years old?”
The bill, which is sponsored by Los Angeles Assembly Member Gil Cedillo passed in the state assembly on May 5, and must now go through the Senate for approval. Because of the high concentration of Democratic influence in the Senate, the bill’s chances at this stage appear optimistic. If it does pass through the Senate, the California Dream Act will be subject to the final approval of Gov. Brown.
In related news, The Los Angeles Times reported on June 6 that the Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to California’s current tuition grant policy for illegal immigrants. Brown’s support of the Dream Act in conjunction with this recent development indicates improving conditions for undocumented college students in the state of California.