California lawmakers pass bill to give monthly cash assistance to undocumented seniors
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California would become the first state to provide monthly cash assistance to undocumented seniors, pending a signature from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
AB 1536, authored by Assemblyman Juan Carrillo, D-Palmdale, passed the Senate on a 32-2 vote on Wednesday. Hours later the Assembly sent it to Newsom after a final 53-4 vote. The governor has not stated a position on the bill.
If signed by Newsom, undocumented individuals who are blind, disabled or older than 65 would be eligible for $1,100 to $1,900 per month through the state-funded Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).The bill would eliminate the requirement to apply to the Social Security Administration, which has historically been the barrier for people without eligible immigration status.
Roughly 17,000 undocumented seniors reside in California, according to The Center For Migration Studies.
“This bill is about ensuring that our state remains a place for every individual regardless of their background or immigration status so they can access the support and assistance to live a dignified life,” Carrillo said. “It is a testament to our shared commitment to compassion and inclusivity.”
Proponents of the legislation note undocumented immigrants are unable to benefit from social programs, despite paying state and local taxes. Undocumented immigrants paid an estimated $3.7 billion in state and local taxes in 2019, according to USC’s California Immigrant Data Portal.
“These are the very benefits that they have often paid into over the course of their work in our state,” said Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, who presented the bill in the Senate on Wednesday.
The proposed expansion will cost an estimated $180 million per year, according to the California Department of Social Services.
The push for cash assistance follows milestones in the last decade for undocumented people such as driver’s licenses, protections from deportation, tax breaks, COVID-19 pandemic relief, Medi-Cal access and food assistance.
