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Love Black Friday But Hate the DREAM Act? There's An Event For You
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The campaign to overturn the DREAM Act is steadily gaining steam in California. Opponents of the state law, which allows undocumented high school graduates to apply for financial aid, have been gathering signatures throughout the state. If they get enough signatures, they will be able to put the issue up to popular vote.Opponents of the DREAM act kicked off their campaign in conservative strongholds in the Central Valley. And for the next week they are targeting opponents in the Inland Empire. All day today opponents of the law are targeting Black Friday shoppers at the Upland Colonies Shopping Center in the Inland Empire at a "Park N Sign," according to CBS Los Angeles. Next week outspoken DREAM act opponents and shock jocks John & Ken are holding a "Stop the Dream Act Petition Rally" in Ontario, according to The San Bernardino Sun.
Groups such as "We the People California's Crusader" and "Stop AB 131" are hoping to get signatures from at least 500,000 opponents of the DREAM act by January 6 in order to put the issue up to state voters next year. The groups oppose giving funding to undocumented immigrants and say that money should be going to legal state residents.
"Our state is very low on funds to the tune of being in debt billions of dollars and we feel, particularly at this time, to protect taxpayer-funded financial aid to students in our country unlawfully is an incredible waste of tax dollars," said Robin Hvidston, executive director of We the People and an Inland Empire representative for Stop AB 131. "We believe every tax dollar should be going to American college students that are struggling."
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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