Students React to Dream Act Passage

Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 131, the second part of the California Dream Act, which allows illegal immigrant students access to state public funds for college. Patch visited Moorpark College to get students’ reactions.Most students we spoke with—20 of 35—either weren’t aware of the legislation or only had heard vaguely of it. Of the remaining 15, only five were comfortable enough to speak on the issue. Some didn’t feel they were familiar enough with the legislation while others feared backlash for voicing their opinions. See our video for the students’ opinions.

College personnel in charge of the financial aid office at the school deferred comment to the Ventura County Community District Office. At this time, the district does not expect the passage of AB 131 to significantly change the college’s enrollment, according to an e-mailed statement by the district’s chancellor, James Meznek.“Moorpark College’s Financial Aid Office is planning to address implementation upon direction from the State Chancellor’s Office to community colleges in preparation to assist affected students by the bill’s effective date of January 1, 2013,” Meznek said.

The district does not keep track of the number of undocumented students attending the school and does not have an estimate, according to the statement.The first part of the Dream Act, which Brown signed in July, made private source funding available for undocumented students.

Already, state law allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates provided they graduated from a high school in California and can show they’re on the path to residing in the state legally.AB 131 allows illegal immigrants after legal residents have received their state financial aid, given they meet the same requirements as legal applicants.

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