California DREAM Act, Part II, Awaits Passage

Anxious and hopeful. That's how supporters of AB 131, the second part of the California DREAM Act, were feeling this week, just as the State Assembly Appropriations Committee was scheduled to vote on the measure this Friday, May 27.
"We're anxious to see AB 131 get out of the Appropriations committee and go on to the Assembly for a vote," said Javiera Infante, an undocumented student who is part of the San Fernando Valley DREAM Team.
"I think once it gets out of the Committee, we're going to breathe a little easier. But then we have to keep the fight in the Senate and then with the Governor to sign it," said Infante, a native of Chile who attends Los Angeles Valley College and has lived in the United States since she was 12.
The 23-year-old currently pays for college with the money she makes selling food, babysitting and even holding her own raffles.
Her family pitches in a little too.
"Myself, the speaker, my committee members, and all of the Democrats in the State Assembly and the Senate are supportive of this measure, so this bill will get out of the Appropriations Committee because it has in the past when I've chaired the committee and I am absolutely committed to doing that again," Fuentes said at the Town Hall.
"The DREAM Act means hope, opportunity and success for millions of young people who know California and America as their home. From a moral perspective, this is simply a matter of doing what is right for California and what is just for millions of young people who know California and America as home," said Fuentes after passage of AB 130 in the Assembly in early May.
Since being introduced by then Assemblyman Gil Cedillo in 2006, the California Development, Relief and education for Alien Minors Act has either failed to get out of committee or been vetoed by then Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. With current Gov. Jerry Brown, who has expressed support for the bill in the past, undocumented students hope the measure will actually become a reality this time, benefiting thousands of students across the state.
But before it reaches the governor's desk, it must get out of the Appropriations Committee and to pressure legislators in favor of this, delegations of DREAM Act supporters traveled to Sacramento on Tuesday, and will be there again Friday May, 27.
Among them was Felipe Escobar, who traveled to the state capitol on Tuesday for "Immigrant Day".
The Guatemalan native came to the United States at the age of 11 and currently attends Glendale College. Even though he is now a legal permanent resident, Escobar was undocumented when he graduated from high school and knows the frustration with not being able to access financial aid for college.
"I know what it's like to be in that position of wanting to do something and not being able to do so," said the 23-year-old North Hollywood resident.
He said the fact that he's now a legal resident and pretty soon a voter has an impact on legislators.
"When they hear I'm a voter, they tend to listen more," he said.
He also said those who oppose the California DREAM Act by claiming it takes money away from US citizens or documented students are wrong.
"The money they (undocumented students) will have access to is money that no one uses because a lot of people don't apply for it. This is money left over. We're getting the scraps, the leftovers," he said.
For Escobar, passage of the AB 131 in the Appropriations Committee is essential to keep undocumented students spirits up.
"What happened in December (when the federal DREAM Act failed to pass the Senate) hurt us a lot," he said.
"We need AB 131 to be approved because it will tell undocumented students that their work means something, and that they can accomplish a lot if they keep fighting."
On May 5, the state Assembly approved AB 130, the other half of the California DREAM Act, which allows undocumented students access to scholarships offered by the UC and CSU system from their own reserves. However, AB 131, which would allow undocumented students to access state financial aid and cal grants and would have an estimated impact of $32.5 million on state coffers, has been on hold for nearly two months.
Infante said they're optimistic AB 131 will get out of the Appropriations Committee, in part because Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (D-39), who represents San Fernando, Sylmar and Pacoima, among others, has expressed his support of the bill in meetings with them and at a recent DREAM Act Town Hall held at Mary Immaculate Church in Pacoima.