For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Alma Castrejon
Cell: (424) 260-3751

UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS THANK GOVERNOR BROWN FOR SIGNING HALF OF THE CA DREAM ACT, BUT THERE WILL BE NO CELEBRATION UNTIL THE CALIFORNIA SENATE DELIVERS AB131 TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK

Los Angeles, CA – Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign the slimmer portion of the California Dream Act into law this Monday, July 25th. Undocumented students are thankful that AB130 will be enacted into law; however, the more substantial portion of the CA Dream Act, AB131, needs to be taken out of Suspense in the Appropriations Committee and signed into law in order to have a true CA Dream Act.

AB131 will have the greater impact for undocumented students in their educational journeys as it would provide state financial aid to undocumented students. Currently, undocumented students are not eligible for any state or federal financial aid making financing their education nearly impossible.

California has already invested in these students’ K-12 education and will see a return in that investment by preparing and assisting financially a future educated workforce. Full passage of the CA Dream Act will be an investment in California’s future.

Undocumented students in California have been fighting since 2006  to have access to state and institutional financial aid and will continue to put pressure on the state legislature to deliver AB131 to the Governor’s desk.  Undocumented students also remind Governor Brown of his campaign promise to pass the CA Dream Act. California has an opportunity to lead the country by allowing undocumented students to be able to access financial aid and make their dreams of graduating from college a reality.

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Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA) is an autonomous group of students and community members working toward the empowerment of immigrant youth and the passage of the DREAM Act. DTLA is led by undocumented students in Los Angeles who are undocumented and unafraid and have been organizing locally and nationally for the right to legalization of undocumented youth. DTLA can be followed on Twitter, @DreamTeam_LA