The Democrat-held California Legislature passed a first-of-its-kind bill that will require public universities in the Golden State to hire undocumented students who do not have work permits, forcing Gov. Gavin Newsom to weigh in on the measure during an election year.
Assembly Bill 2586 would prohibit “the University of California, California State University, or California Community Colleges from disqualifying a student from being hired for an employment position due to the student’s failure to provide proof of federal work authorization, except where that proof is required by federal law or where that proof is required as a condition of a grant that funds the particular employment position for which the student has applied.”
The bill was first introduced by San Diego-based Democrat David Alvarez in February in response to the University of California rejecting a similar proposal.
“We will be helping students who struggle every day to stay financially afloat as they are earning their degrees, really changing their lives,” Alvarez said on the Assembly floor Monday. The bill passed by a 41-7 margin. Institutions would be able to begin hiring undocumented students in 2025.
With illegal immigration being a major campaign issue in elections across the U.S., lawmakers have been wary about having to weigh in on controversial proposals that may result in public backlash.
Politico reported earlier in the year that the Biden administration had “quietly pushed back” against a similar proposal by the University of California system to hire illegal immigrants for campus jobs. The outlet reported that Newsom had appointed many of the current governing board members to the system, the nation’s largest four-year university system. The governor has yet to offer a public statement on the proposal.
“The courage and brilliance of students in the Undocumented Student-Led Network continue to inspire me as this bill moves through the legislative process. I am grateful that my Senate colleagues stood on the right side of history today. As this bill progresses, California has the opportunity to lead in protecting and advancing the rights of immigrants and their families,” Alvarez said in June regarding his bill.
Newsom will need to formally reject or approve the bill by the end of September.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.