Undocumented Students and Supporters Celebrate Historic Victory; Call on Governor Newsom to Sign Assembly Bill 2586
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2024
CONTACT:
Silvia Vazquez, vazsil89@ucla.edu, 424-354-6069
Undocumented Students and Supporters Celebrate Historic Victory; Call on Governor Newsom to Sign Assembly Bill 2586
A Milestone for Equal Access to Employment Opportunities at California’s Public Colleges and Universities
Sacramento, CA – Today, in a historic victory for undocumented students and their allies, Assembly Bill 2586 (AB 2586), authored by Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego), passed through the California Legislature and now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature. This landmark legislation, championed by undocumented students and supported by a broad coalition of advocates, will ensure equal access to employment opportunities for all students, regardless of their immigration status, at University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and California Community Colleges (CCC) campuses.
AB 2586 takes a crucial step toward addressing the inequities faced by California’s 86,805 undocumented college and university students, who have been unfairly denied the same employment opportunities as their peers. The bill expands access to on-campus jobs, paid internships, and research opportunities, allowing all students to fully engage in their educational and professional development.
“This victory belongs to the undocumented students who led this fight,” said Assemblymember Alvarez. “Their courage and determination have brought us to this moment. We are one step closer to ensuring that every student in California has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their immigration status.”
Jeffry Umaña Muñoz, a graduate student at Cal State L.A. and organizer with the Undocumented Student-Led Network, said: “We fought for this bill because we deserve an equal chance to thrive in what has always been known as the land of opportunity. This bill is about fairness and ensuring that all students have access to the opportunities they need to succeed. We’re proud to see it move forward and urge Governor Newsom to sign it into law.”
“The passage of AB 2586 is not just a win for undocumented students but a victory for equity and justice across our public higher education system,” said Kent Wong, Director for Labor and Community Partnerships at the UCLA Labor Center. “This is about recognizing the immense contributions that undocumented youth make to our state and ensuring they have the same opportunities as everyone else.”
Legal experts emphasize that the framework for AB 2586 is built on solid legal analysis. “AB 2586 rightly recognizes that California colleges and universities have the legal authority to hire undocumented students,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, Faculty Co-Director at the Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law. “The federal prohibition on hiring undocumented people does not extend to state employers like the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges, as dozens of legal scholars have concluded. It is now up to the Governor to ensure that all college students receive the opportunities that this law will make available to them.”
California is home to more undocumented students than any other state, with over 54,500 college students currently unable to qualify for the benefits of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Since its enactment in 2012, DACA has transformed the lives of thousands of undocumented students by providing them with work authorization, temporary protection from deportation, and the opportunity to pursue higher education. However, over the past five years, as federal courts and administrative agencies have closed off access to DACA, the barriers to educational opportunities for these students have grown far worse. Because DACA is now inaccessible to most young students, state-level solutions like AB 2586 are more critical than ever.
Undocumented students play an integral role in California’s communities, enriching the state’s social, cultural, and academic landscape. They bring diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences that enhance campus life and drive innovation across various fields. AB 2586 ensures that these students can fully participate in the educational opportunities they deserve, allowing them to gain valuable experience through on-campus jobs and internships—opportunities that are vital for their professional growth and future contributions to society, just as students with federal work authorization can.
The coalition supporting AB 2586 urges Governor Newsom to sign this transformative bill and take the decisive step toward a more inclusive and equitable California.
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About Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego):
The 80th Assembly District includes the communities of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Sherman Heights, Bonita, Lincoln Acres, Otay Mesa, and San Ysidro, along with the cities of Chula Vista, National City, and Imperial Beach.
About the Undocumented Student-Led Network:
The mission of the Undocumented Student-Led Network (USN) is to create a statewide network of immigrant youth leaders to work towards advancing an immigrant reform agenda.
About UCLA CILP:
Founded in 2020, the Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law expands the law school’s role as a national leader in immigration law and policy, generating innovative ideas at the intersection of immigration scholarship and practice and serving as a hub for transforming those ideas into meaningful changes in immigration policy.
About the UCLA Labor Center:
The UCLA Labor Center believes that a public university belongs to the people and should advance quality education and employment for all. The center’s research, education, and policy work lifts industry standards, creates jobs that are good for communities, and strengthens immigrant rights, especially for students and youth.
