California Governor Vetos Bill Aimed at Helping Undocumented Immigrants Purchase Homes

By Kanishka Singh

California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill on Friday that aimed to provide undocumented immigrants access to state funds for home purchases, citing limited financial resources.

In his statement, Newsom explained, "Given the finite funding available for California Housing Finance Agency programs, expanding program eligibility must be carefully considered within the broader context of the annual state budget to ensure we manage our resources effectively. For this reason, I am unable to sign this bill."

The state legislature had approved the bill and delivered it to the governor’s desk the previous week.

Authored by Democratic lawmaker Joaquin Arambula from Fresno, the bill was intended to create opportunities for hardworking individuals who aspire to own homes and pass on that legacy to their children. Arambula remarked, "This includes undocumented immigrants who have lived here for decades and pay their taxes."

Opponents of the legislation, primarily Republicans, argued that housing assistance should be prioritized for families who immigrated to the U.S. legally rather than for those who did not.

Immigration is becoming a significant issue in the upcoming November 5 U.S. elections, where Democratic Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris will face Republican former President Donald Trump. Trump has accused Democrats of being lenient on immigration policies and has advocated for the deportation of undocumented immigrants. Recently, he proposed a ban on mortgages for immigrants residing illegally in California, alleging without evidence that they are contributing to rising housing costs.

While banks can provide mortgages to undocumented immigrants, such occurrences are rare.