SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Undocumented immigrants in California could be eligible for state help buying homes under a bill the state Legislature sent to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday.
The proposal, which has sparked heated debate in the Legislature, would say that people who meet all other requirements for a loan under a state program that provides assistance to first-time homebuyers should not be disqualified because of their immigration status. The Assembly gave it final approval in the Legislature in a vote that fell along partisan lines.
Rep. Joaquin Arambula, a Democrat representing Fresno who authored the bill, said it’s not about immigration policy but about fairness and solving the housing crisis.
“AB 1840 is about providing an opportunity for hardworking, responsible people who dream of owning their own home and passing that legacy on to their children – a dream we all have for all our families in California,” Arambula said in a statement. “And that includes undocumented immigrants who have lived here for decades and paid their taxes.”
But Republican lawmakers say California should prioritize housing assistance for families who are in the country legally.
“We have Californians who are not undocumented immigrants who need these services,” Republican Sen. Brian Dahle said earlier this week. “We should take care of them first, before we expand this service.”
Newsom has until the end of September to sign or veto the bill.
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