Visit our Free Immigration Legal Services page to access all resources available to students, staff, and faculty. Have additional questions about DACA? Visit our page on DACA Support.

FREE Immigration Legal Services for Students

Know Your Rights/Conozca Sus Derechos

• LGBTQIA Immigrant Rights, Immigrant Legal Resource Center

• Know Your Rights, National Immigration Law Center

• Your Rights if DACA Ends, National Immigration Law Center

• Conozca Sus Derechos

Local Non-Profit Legal Providers and Immigration Attorneys

• Santa Cruz and Monterey County List of Immigration Attorneys and Non-Profit Service Providers

Learn about California Laws that allow undocumented students to pursue a higher education.

1AB 540 - Resident Fees

AB 540 allows qualified undocumented students to pay resident fees at California colleges.

To apply for AB540, Cabrillo Students must apply through Webadvisor. You can find the AB540 application under eforms. Go to "Forms", then select "AR-California Nonresident Tuition Exemption".

Requirements:

• Students must attend a California high school at least three years and graduate.

• Students must sign an affidavit stating their California residency.

• All information must be handled in a confidential manner.

AB 2000 - Expansion to AB 540

AB 2000AB 2000 clarifies that a student who secures three years of high school credit or has a total of three or more years of attendance in a California elementary school, middle school, or high school, or a combination of those schools, is eligible for AB 540 and thus is allowed to pay in-state tuition at California community colleges and universities and is eligible for benefits under the California DREAM Act.AB 2000 clarifies that a student who secures three years of high school credit or has a total of three or more years of attendance in a California elementary school, middle school, or high school, or a combination of those schools, is eligible for AB 540 and thus is allowed to pay in-state tuition at California community colleges and universities and is eligible for benefits under the California DREAM Act. 130 - Scholarshipsdent who secures three years of high school credit or has a total of three or more years of attendance in a California elementary school, middle school, or high school, or a combination of those schools, is eligible for AB 540 and thus is allowed to pay in-state tuition at California community colleges and universities and is eligible for benefits under the California DREAM Act.

AB 130 - Scholarships

AB 130 allows eligible AB 540 students to apply for and receive non-state funded scholarships at a public California college and university.

AB 131 - State/Institutional Aid

AB 131 allows eligible AB 540 students to apply for and receive financial aid that is partially derived from state funds at California public colleges and universities beginning in the spring 2013 semester.

SB 1210 - DREAM Loans

SB 1210, signed on Sept. 28, 2014, establishes the DREAM Loan Program, which allows eligible undocumented students attending a University of California or any California State University to receive an educational loan of up to $4,000 per semester and not more than an aggregate of $20,000 from any one participating institution.

SB 1159 - Professional licenses

SB 1159 removes barriers for undocumented young people as they seek career and professional licenses. SB 1159 allows an applicant to provide, and a licensing board to accept, an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) in lieu of a social security number in the application for a professional license; it ensures that otherwise eligible individuals are not denied a professional license based solely on their immigration status.

AB 2160 - GPA Submission

AB 2160 removes a barrier to state financial aid and significantly improves access to higher education for all students in California. Specifically, the bill requires all public high schools to electronically submit the grade point averages for 12th graders to the California Student Aid Commission for the purposes of the Cal Grant application, except for students who have opted out, as specified.

AB 60 - Driver's License

AB 60 requires the California Department of Motor Vehicles to issue an original driver license to an applicant who is unable to submit satisfactory proof of legal presence in the United States. Driver license applicants under AB 60 must meet all other qualifications for licenses and must provide satisfactory proof of identity and California residency.

Cabrillo College News

• Cabrillo College Resolution 008-17 in Support of Students Who Are Aspiring Citizens

Legislative Updates and Current News

• Supreme Court Turns Down Trump's Appeal in 'Dreamers' Case, February 26, 2018

• Santa Cruz, CA Chief of Police Andrew G. Mills' Letter to President Trump Regarding DACA

• Work Re-Verification Not Required with Decision to End DACA, State of California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, September 6, 2017

• The Trump Administration Announces End of DACA, September 5, 2017

• What Do I Need To Know if the DACA Program Ends? National Immigration Law Center, August 28, 2017

• DACA UPDATE: Five Things You Should Know, National Immigration Law Center, August 25, 2017

• Anniversary of DACA Deportation Protections Marked By Fear They're Ending-NBC News, August 15, 2017

• A New Threat to End DACA Could Cost States Billions of Dollars, American Progress, 2017

• California Community Colleges Encourage Students to Apply for the California DREAM Act-Follow Your Dreams Video, May 30, 2017

• We Have Your Back: How Educators Can Support Undocumented Students by Dr. Maria Ferrera and Dr. Bernadette Sanchez, February 13, 2017

Undocu-friendly colleges and universities are institutions that provide academic, emotional, and resource-based support for students who are aspiring citizens. Some of these campuses offer DREAM Centers, strong financial aid packages, and/or have dedicated staff that provide direct support to students.

California State University (CSU) Campus Support for Undocumented Students:

Click here for a list of undocumented student programs at each CSU campus!

University of California Campus Support for Undocumented Students:

Click here for a list of undocumented student programs at each UC campus!

• Chicana/Latina Foundation Scholarship (CLF): Each year the Chicana Latina Foundation awards merit-based scholarships to Latina college students, valued at $1,500 dollars each.

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund

• MALDEF: Extensive list of scholarships including many that do not inquire immigration status or require a valid social security number

• THE DREAM.US

Thank you for visiting this site. As faculty and staff, your support for students who aspiring citizens is critical as students look up to you for support and guidance. Listed below are ways that you can support our students. If you need help assisting students, please do not hesitate to contact Kimberly Leyva at (831) 786-4724 or via email at kileyva@cabrillo.edu. We are glad to be a resource and answer any questions.

1. Create a welcoming environment for dialogue in your class and office about changes affecting students who are aspiring citizens and their family.

• We Have Your Back: How Educators Can Support Undocumented Students by Dr. Maria Ferrera and Dr. Bernadette Sanchez, February 13, 2017

2. Stay informed on the latest updates and please share this information with your students.

• Understand the difference between DACA, AB540, and the California DREAM Act

• A New Threat to End DACA Could Cost States Billions of Dollars, American Progress, 2017

3. Join advocacy efforts to defend DACA.

4. Post a statement of support in your classroom and office space. Click HERE for an example.

5. Additional Resources to consider:

• UncoduCollege Guide & Equity Tool California 2016: Working Toward Educational Equity & Inclusion of Undocumented Students at Institutions of Higher Education in California

6. Encourage your students to apply for the California DREAM Act. The state has seen a 40% drop in California DREAM Act applicants in the last year. Please encourage your students to continue using this valuable program to support their education.

• California DREAM Act-Follow Your Dreams Video, May 30, 2017
  

Have additional questions not listed above? Check out our most frequently asked questions page to learn more.