Campus jobs for undocumented students blocked by Newsom veto

Key Points:

• Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 713, which aimed to allow undocumented students at California public colleges and universities to access paid campus jobs without federal work authorization, citing concerns over potential federal legal repercussions and liability for state employees.
• This marks the second consecutive year Newsom has vetoed similar legislation, emphasizing the need for federal courts to first rule on the novel legal theory that state governments are exempt from federal bans on hiring undocumented workers.
• The bill had broad support from student associations and some university regents, who argue that barring undocumented students from campus employment limits crucial opportunities like internships, research, and teaching assistantships.
• UCLA law professors who developed the legal rationale behind the bill criticized Newsom’s veto as misguided, warning that the absence of explicit state law backing leaves universities vulnerable to litigation.
• The veto occurs amid ongoing federal legal challenges by the Trump administration against California’s policies supporting undocumented students, including lawsuits over in-state tuition and employment rights.