Schwarzenegger vetoes financial aid for illegal college students

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a proposed law that would have allowed certain illegal alien college students to be eligible for student aid and scholarships. According to Gov. Schwarzenegger, "While I do not believe that undocumented children should be penalized for the acts of their parents, this bill would penalize students here legally by reducing the financial aid they rely on to allow them to go to college and pursue their dreams."

In other words, even if your child is an "honor student," but his or her status is not lawful, then your child would not be eligible for financial aid or scholarships.

By way of background, a few years ago a law was passed, exempting illegal aliens from paying the higher "non-resident" tuition at colleges, if they had attended high school in California for three or more years, graduated from a California high school, and submitted an affidavit that the student (or the student’s parent) were seeking to obtain legal status. (This existing law is known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act).

A new bill, called the California Dream Act (introduced by Sen. Gil Cedillo), would have allowed these illegal alien students to not only be exempt from paying non-resident tuition, but would also allow them to apply for financial aid. Although it passed both the California Senate and Assembly, Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill.

I know that many Filipinos came to America for their children – in order to provide them with better opportunities, including an excellent education. These children were among the top of their class, and want to go to college. Although many of these parents have been in the US for several years, they have not yet legalized their status. Now their children are graduating from high school and want to go to college. Since the parents did nothing about their immigration situation, their "American Dream" is turning into a nightmare, because their child might not get into college because of lack of financial aid or scholarships.

That is why it is so important that if you are in the US without legal status, you should seek the advice of a reputable attorney, who can evaluate your situation and perhaps there could be a way by which you can legalize your status. You should do this not only for yourself, but especially for your children, who are the very reason you came to America in the first place!

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