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GUESTS:Randy Lopez, Student at Hyram Johnson High School in Sacramento and March Organizer with By Any Means Necessary, Lilian, Undocumented Student

In the state of California, a piece of legislation called AB 540 law allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition – but the students are not allowed to receive financial aid. We want to turn to one of those tens of thousands of students – Lillian, who explains her journey as a child who walked to the US from Guatemala, to the obstacles she faces today as an undocumented student.

Hundreds of students throughout California are expected to miss or walk out of high school today – in an effort to encourage Governor Schwarzenegger to sign the California DREAM Act. The state’s legislature passed SB1, which would allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state aid, such as Cal Grants. Schwarzenegger vetoed similar legislation last year – which would aid the roughly 25,000 undocumented students that graduate high school yearly in California alone. Schwarzenegger expressed concern over competitive Cal Grants in last year’s bill – this new bill allows undocumented students to become eligible for noncompetitive Cal Grants and community college fee waivers. The governor has about two and a half weeks to make up his mind on a bill – and thousands of students have organized a grassroots campaign to make their voices heard.

For more information, visit www.bamn.com/