Assemblymember Alvarez Issues Statement on Governor’s Veto of AB 2586 – Opportunity for All Act

(Sacramento) Today, Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego) issued the following statement regarding the Governor’s veto of Assembly Bill 2586, the Opportunity for All Act. This bipartisan supported bill would have provided equal access to campus employment opportunities for all students, regardless of their immigration status, at the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges campuses.

“Governor Newsom’s veto is a profound disappointment because it denies students the opportunity to better themselves through education,” said Assemblymember Alvarez. “Students who are legally allowed to study at California’s public colleges and universities should also be allowed to work to pay for their own education. The students who worked together to bring this bill to the Legislature will continue to fight for it, and I will stand with them, along with the Latino Caucus.”

Approximately 45,000 undocumented students in California colleges cannot apply for student employment opportunities simply because of their immigration status. This includes many graduate student research and teaching assistant positions, medical residency, and other educational and professional opportunities that would provide more financial stability and academic enrichment for students at institutions of higher learning. The Opportunity for All Act would have removed the current restrictions on the University of California, California State University, and California Community College's ability to include undocumented students in the pool of candidates for jobs at their campus.

Assemblymember Alvarez will be reintroducing this bill in the upcoming legislative session as he continues to work with students to provide the opportunities they need to succeed.