California passes law letting illegal aliens pay in-state tuition

The DREAM Act, which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday in Los Angeles, is distinct from, if related to, a federal effort of the same name. The latter legislation has been pushed — thus far, unsuccessfully — by Democrats in Washington in order to give children of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship through military service or college education.

The California version effectively updates a previously enacted law that allows all people who have attended high school in the state for three or more years to pay cheaper in-state tuition rates to attend one of its public universities, colleges or community colleges. The earlier version stated as much, but did not specifically address one’s immigration’s status.