California legislators announce bills to aid undocumented individuals

California Democratic legislative leaders announced Tuesday a package of 10 immigration bills, including measures that would subsidize Medi-Cal for undocumented individuals and aim to protect them from discrimination in the state.

Legislators said they are pushing for the package because they think federal laws are insufficient in their support of undocumented individuals.

“The ‘Immigrants Shape California Legislative Package’ … demonstrates our commitment to making California a state that works for all of us,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de León, who supports the measures, in a press release.

A considerable obstacle to the package is its cost, however. This is most notable in the plan to extend Medi-Cal coverage to undocumented individuals. Legislators who proposed the package said they plan to rely on federal funding for part of the burden.

“It’s a good first step in creating that infrastructure for health care systems to adopt, but I hope they follow through with providing enough funding to make this happen,” said Vlad Stoicesu-Ghica, a fourth-year political science student who is undocumented.

Others said they think the financial concerns are simply a guise for an underlying xenophobia.

“Legalization actually generates economic activity through jobs, incomes and spending,” said UCLA alumnus Francisco Lopez-Flores, who is undocumented. “The returns on investment far outweigh the initial cost, so I think the real problem is opposition to immigrants.”

One of the bills in the package would create penalties for abusive employees and would make it illegal for business establishments to discriminate based on immigration status or citizenship.

“This component of the bill is extremely important because there has been a precedent for (establishing) protection against discrimination in the courts,” said Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda, a professor of Chicana/o studies. “Most people are not aware of this because it wasn’t enforced, so this proposal makes sense.”

Another bill in the package would establish the Office of New Americans within the governor’s office as a source for immigrants to learn about preparing for citizenship.

Though Lopez-Flores said he thinks the package is lacking in certain areas, he says he thinks the proposal is a move in the right direction.

“California has come a long way in the last two decades,” Lopez-Flores said. “This is a positive step forward and will hopefully set the precedent when it comes to legislation. These changes are crucial to improving people’s well-being.”

Other legislation in the package includes due process and legal advice for immigrant defendants, as well as protection from immigration attorneys committing fraud.

Compiled by Sierra DeSousa, Bruin contributor.