(Jerry) Brown signs private-scholarship part of Dream Act

[alp227]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Sacramento --

Undocumented immigrants who attend California universities and colleges will have greater access to privately funded scholarships after Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed into law a portion of what is known as the Dream Act.

A more controversial portion of the act, to allow undocumented students to receive publicly funded financial aid, is still pending in the Legislature.

The two bills differ from a federal proposal with the same name; the state Dream Act does not provide a path to citizenship.

Brown signed AB130 by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, at a ceremony in Los Angeles.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/26/BA7S1KES77.DTL

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The Teabaggers are at full force in the SFGate.com comments section.

[Fearless]

1. Good for California!

It's good to see that somewhere reasoned minds are working for the middle and working classes.

[alp227]

2. erhm...what about CITIZENS in the middle class...

tuition in state universities has been blowing up for years and the executives of those universities have enjoyed non-stop pay raises as our middle class families are being fleeced. This DREAM Act may be symbolic, but when the federal gov passes the DREAM Act that would actually take action regarding such students' citizenship the state-level bills are powerless. Clearly the federal government needs to wake up as states are filling in its role (Democratic states acting welcoming with the tuition bills and such, Republican states getting tough on enforcement such as in Arizona, Alabama, and Georgia). I'm not attacking you for praising Brown, I'm just saying there's more that needs to be done.

In California, state senator Leland Yee intro'd a bill to restrict state university executive pay raises during bad economy.

[Fearless]

3. It may be EASIER to exclude non-citizens...

But we are all human beings. Studies show that these good people will get an education and grow up to contribute to this economy in the same way as you and I. They deserve this chance. They are in this country because of their parents. They should not be excluded from the chance to succeed because people play politics with the lives of human beings.

Problems need to be addressed for "citizens" too. But that should not be done by handicapping an equally important group of human beings. A rising tide lifts all boats.

[alp227]

5. Right, and with the education should come a chance for citizenship too

which is what the federal DREAM Act seeks to do for people whose parents brought them here without seeking legal residency, who complete higher education or military service and exhibit good behavior. Thanks for responding! Without legal status, those educated people won't be invested into our workforce and will most likely either go into hiding or return to their native countries, won't they?

[Fearless]

7. For a vast majority of these children, if not all, America is the only home they know...

They have parents who brought them there very young or else they left their native land for a reason. If the state provides a path to success for these students, I believe they will want to stay here for those reasons. Could they go to their native lands? Of course, but so could those with papers or citizenship. And, even if they stay beneath the radar, if they have an American job they likely pay into Social Security et. al. and if they have a place to live they likely pay taxes on it. Additionally, they support local taxes and sales tax as well with their purchases. In a lifetime I believe that they would contribute at least that which is given to them in college aid.

[alp227]

8. interesting points, I've heard that social security surplus because of illegals talking point before

Found this Reason Foundation (libertarian think tank) article saying: "A stunning two-thirds of illegal immigrants pay Medicare, Social Security and personal income taxes. Yet, nativists like Congressman Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., have popularized the notion that illegal aliens are a colossal drain on the nation's hospitals, schools and welfare programs — consuming services that they don't pay for." (Yes I know it's the Reason Foundation but at least it debunks the right wing "aah the illegals are here to leech off welfare!" talking point.)

Bottom line is, the federal DREAM Act needs to complement similar state-level legislation. And the only good reason to deport an undoc'd immigrant brought here as a child is if the person committed a felony.

As far as the problem of illegal immigration, no one is saying that it's a good thing or defending it...as Thom Hartmann says, America has an illegal employer problem. Because I.I.'s lack protections under U.S. labor laws the employers end up paying them under the table in cash only and ignore minimum wage, worker safety, etc. laws. Don't forget about NAFTA too.

[roody]

4. Exec pay should be limited at all times.

[JDPriestly]

6. Good. I support this idea.