Lawsuit Challenges UC's Ban on Hiring Undocumented Students

A legal suit aims to overturn the University of California's policy following Gov. Newsom's veto of a bill that would have allowed such employment.

The lawsuit, filed in the California Court of Appeals, argues that UC has the legal authority to hire undocumented students as a state agency.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vetoed Assembly Bill 2586, which would have permitted undocumented students to be employed at public universities.
UC President Michael Drake and the Board of Regents fear that hiring undocumented students could lead to civil or criminal litigation and jeopardize federal funding.
The legal team behind the suit contends that the 1986 federal immigration law does not apply to state employers, citing U.S. Supreme Court precedents.
Undocumented students face significant financial challenges due to their ineligibility for federal grants and loans, often resorting to unsafe jobs to fund their education.