If you’ve been to any of the California Democratic Party conventions recently, or if you’ve otherwise had the chance to speak to some of the students that happen to be undocumented, you’ll know how important the Dream Act is.  And so, yesterday, when it passed its first major hurdle along the road to the Governor’s desk, there was reason to smile:

Illegal immigrants could receive college financial aid under legislation approved Thursday by the Assembly and apparently destined for the desk of a new Democratic governor who supports the concept. …

AB 130, among other things, would allow a small segment of illegal immigrants – those who currently qualify for in-state college tuition – to apply for aid from private gifts or endowments that totaled more than $72 million last year.

Assemblyman Gil Cedillo proposed both AB 130 and a pending companion measure – AB 131 – that would open the financial door wider by allowing those illegal immigrants to seek Cal Grants and other public aid.(SacBee)

The governor has said in the past that he supports the concept of the California Dream Act, but hasn’t committed to the specifics of these measures.  However, considering that the first of these bills, AB 130, doesn’t even touch public money, it seems to be a no-brainer.  CalGrants might be a different matter, but only time (or Jerry) will tell on that one.

These students, who were brought here when they were young, and then succeeded in schools, are what this country should be about.  It is about people coming to America to work hard to build our economy.  We shouldn’t just be kicking these students out of our country, we should be helping them stay here.  The California Dream Act is a good first start on that.