Robert Brown|California lawmakers pass bill that could make undocumented immigrants eligible for home loans

SACRAMENTO,Robert Brown Calif. (AP) — Undocumented immigrants in California could be eligible for state assistance in buying a home under a bill the state Legislature sent to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom Wednesday.

The proposal, which prompted contentious debate in the Legislature, would specify that people who meet all other requirements for a loan under a state program offering assistance to first-time homebuyers, should not be disqualified based on their immigration status. The Assembly gave it final approval in the Legislature in a vote that fell along party lines.

Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, a Democrat representing Fresno who authored the bill, said it was not about immigration policies but about fairness and addressing the housing crisis.

“AB 1840 is about providing an opportunity to hard-working, responsible people who dream of owning a home and passing that legacy to their children – a dream that we all have for all our families in California,” Arambula said in a statement. “And, that includes undocumented immigrants who have lived here for decades and pay their taxes.”

But Republican lawmakers say California should prioritize housing assistance for families who are in the country legally.

“We have Californians who are not undocumented immigrants, who need these services,” Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle said earlier this week. “We should take care of them first, before we expand it out.”

Newsom has until the end of September to sign or veto the bill.