California bill could allow undocumented migrants access to home loans

SACRAMENTO, California: Undocumented immigrants in California could now get access to home loans under a bill the state Legislature sent to Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom this week.

Prompted contentious debate in the Legislature, the proposal specifies that people who meet all other requirements for a loan under a state program offering assistance to first-time homebuyers should not be disqualified based on their immigration status. The Assembly gave it final approval in the Legislature in a vote that fell along party lines.

Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, a Democrat representing Fresno who authored the bill, said it was not about immigration policies but about fairness and addressing the housing crisis.

However, Republican lawmakers say California should prioritize housing assistance for families legally in the country.

Newsom has until the end of September to sign or veto the bill.