Assemblyman Defends California Bill Offering In-State Study to Students Living in Mexico: ‘We Need to Adapt’

A proposed bill in California would allow some students residing in Mexico to attend public colleges in San Diego and Imperial Valley counties.

“This bill recognizes that there is a student population that travels back and forth regularly and talent that is available to us on the south side of the border,” San Diego Republican Assemblyman David Alvarez told The Sacramento Bee.

A bill introduced last month by Alvarez would create a five-year pilot program that would allow low-income students living within 45 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border to pay tuition at seven local colleges without the surcharges charged at other out-of-state colleges. students have to pay.

NEARLY 300,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS PASSED BY BORDER GUARDS IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS: SOURCES

Students must be US citizens or Mexican citizens with a visa to be eligible for the program, and legislation limits the number of participating students to 200 per campus.

Alvarez told the Bee he hopes the provisions of his bill can become permanent, even if they expire in 2029, if the bill is passed in its current form.

“We need to adapt how we train our future workforce,” he said.

Bill Wells, mayor of the border city of El Cajon, denounced the proposed law as a “slippery slope” that burdens taxpayers and undermines border security on Fox & Friends First last week.

LIBERAL CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS SPREAD FOR OFFERING STUDENTS IN MEXICO TO GET COLLEGE TRAINING IN THE STATE

Assembly Bill 91 would offer in-state tuition to students residing in Mexico at select community colleges in San Diego and Imperial Valley counties. (Christopher A. Jones via Getty Images)

Citing California’s $22.5 billion budget deficit, Porterville Republican Assemblyman Devon Mathis told the Bee he disagreed with another taxpayer-funded program.

“We need to make sure this bill doesn’t divert funds from the rest of the community college system and do more to encourage students to stay in California and build their careers here after they graduate,” he said.

Assembly Act 91 has raised concerns among a member of the legislature who worries about California’s budget deficit. (loosely via Getty Images)

The median cost of a community college in California as of 2023 is $1,246 per year for in-state students and $6,603 for out-of-state students.

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Similar programs exist in Texas for students living in Mexico who need financial resources.