Calif. Passes Dream Act for Undocumented Students

Illegals to qualify for privately-funded college scholarships
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 26, 2011 8:52 AM CDT
Calif. Passes Dream Act for Undocumented Students
"This is one piece of a very important mosaic, which is a California that works for everyone and a California who understands where our strength is," Brown said.   (AP Photo/Hector Amezcua, pool)

Illegal immigrants will be eligible for privately-funded college scholarships in California under a bill signed into law yesterday by Gov. Jerry Brown. The bill, known as the California Dream Act, is aimed at undocumented students who have received a high school diploma after attending at least three years of high school in the state, Reuters reports. Illegal immigrants already qualify for in-state tuition fees, a policy which was upheld by the US Supreme Court last month.

"At the end of the day, if we're going to continue as a powerful, equal-opportunity society, we're going to have to invest in our people," Brown said. A companion bill that would make illegal immigrants eligible for state tuition aid is being considered by the state legislature. Brown says he views that bill favorably, but he hasn't committed himself to signing it if it reaches his desk. (More Dream Act stories.)

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