In recent weeks, migrant crossings fell sharply in Texas, but the migrant crisis is shifting to other parts of the border, specifically Arizona and California. This trend was confirmed by several reports, including those of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is now taking credit after implementing controversial measures and laws in the last two years. Overall, illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border have dropped sharply since soaring to a record high in December.
Border crisis main topic in presidential campaigns recently
The border crisis has become the main topic in presidential campaigns. This was once again confirmed with both President Biden and former President Trump visiting the border on Thursday. Expectedly, they provided completely different speeches and opinions on the migrant crisis and securing the border in an effort to appeal to voters. Securing the border has become a national issue as it now bothers a growing number of voters nationwide.
California giving more rights to undocumented migrants
While people living in the southern part of California are feeling the pressure of the influx of migrants in recent weeks, a California lawmaker has just proposed a new bill seeking to give undocumented migrants in the state the same rights as American residents living in the state. The recently proposed legislation, Assembly Bill 1840, is seen as a new pathway for undocumented migrants to the American dream of owning a home.
Recently, Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) put forward the bill and asked for support. The bill’s goal is to make more people eligible for a state-run loan program by stating clearly that people who are buying a home for the first time and do not have official immigration documents can also get loans.
California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loans program is in its second year
This program, called the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loans program, was started in March last year by the California Housing Finance Agency. It helps people buying their first home by giving them a loan that can cover up to 20% of the price of buying a house or a condo. This loan is special because it doesn’t grow bigger over time since it doesn’t have regular interest and there’s no need to pay it back every month. Instead, when the owner decides to refinance their mortgage or sell the house, they need to pay back the loan amount they received at first plus 20% of any profit made from the house’s value going up.
Arambula introduced this bill because the original program aimed to make it easier for people with low to middle incomes to own a home, but the rules didn’t clearly say if people without legal immigration status could apply or not.
“It’s that ambiguity for undocumented individuals, despite the fact that they’ve qualified under existing criteria, such as having a qualified mortgage,” he said in an interview. “Underscores the pressing need for us to introduce legislation.”
“Homeownership has historically been the primary means of accumulating generational wealth in the United States,” he added. “The social and economic benefits of homeownership should be available to everyone.”
Arambula wants everyone to be eligible to apply for the program
If the new bill, Assembly Bill 1840, gets approved, it will change the rules so that people who are buying a home for the first time and are undocumented immigrants can be included. Arambula mentioned that without being clearly allowed, these individuals might feel unsure or left out from getting the chance to join in. Last year, the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loans program reached its limit of around 2,300 applications in just 11 days and had to stop taking more.
New model and new criteria for the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loans program
This year, the program is switching from a first-come, first-served approach to a lottery system. Those interested in applying can do so now, with the lottery set to take place in April. There’s also a change in how much money you can make to qualify. In the first year of the program, applicants could earn up to 150% of the median income for their area, but now it’s been lowered to 120%. This means you have to make less than this new limit each year to qualify. For example, in Los Angeles County, you now need to earn less than $155,000 a year to be eligible.
