Saul Lopez -Pulido, ASCC President, presented ASCC Senate with legislation for the ASCC Dreamer Fund to assist undocumented students attending Cerritos College with many benefits to help them with their legal status, such as :

• free lawyer consultations
• financial aid
• workshops

The legislation was approved by the ASCC Senate Wednesday, Feb.1

“It’s nice to have the sentiment that we’re protected but its better to know that us as the student body or me as a president who is a Dreamer, cares about other Dreamers.” Lopez-Pulido said.

He also added that if that fund was already done when he started attending Cerritos he wouldn’t have struggled to pay for everything himself such as immigration lawyers and lawyer consultations.

He wants Dreamers like him to succeed with their education and have the same rights as any other students.

The legislation gets rid of a lot of barriers that they face as Dreamer students and puts them on an equal playing field with other students.

It will help the new Dreamer students who are afraid and it would make the school a sanctuary campus.

Karen Patron, Student Trustee, said, “I have lived with this my whole life and want future dreamers, to know that there is someone who knows and can relate to their struggle.”

She continued to say that her family has gone to lawyers to seek legal council and knows the financial burden that comes with it and hopes that this fund will help others like her reach the American dream.

Patron is a consistent advocate for all students on campus.

Lopez-Pulido choose her to speak on last Wednesday’s Senate meeting.

She will continue to work with Lopez-Pulido, who started this initiative and with the AB540 task force to implement this program.

The initial request for the fund is $10,000.