Exempts deported students (including those removed by immigration enforcement) from nonresident tuition for online community college enrollment and allows them to retain in-state residency status upon return, reducing barriers to education for people subject to immigration enforcement.
Notwithstanding any other law, a deported student shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition under this article if the student meets all of the following requirements:
Provides tuition exemptions, residency retention, and financial aid eligibility for students who departed due to immigration enforcement, voluntary departure under threat, or denial of reentry, facilitating continued or resumed education tied to immigration status changes.
“Deported student” means a student who departed the United States on or after January 1, 2025, was enrolled in a California community college at the time of departure or detention, and the departure occurred for any of the following reasons: (1) Due to immigration enforcement actions by the United States Department of Homeland Security. (2) Voluntarily due to the threat of immigration enforcement by the United States Department of Homeland Security. (3) Due to being denied reentry to the United States after voluntarily departing with the intention of making a brief trip abroad.
✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text
Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber (completed)
Passed both (completed)
Governor
Law
Status: Vetoed
Last action
2026-01-22: Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
Why the model tagged it this way: The bill creates education access protections specifically for students affected by deportation or immigration enforcement threats, including nonresident tuition exemptions for online programs, residency retention upon return, and financial aid eligibility. This reduces the practical impact of immigration enforcement on educational continuity without expanding enforcement mechanisms, state crimes, cooperation requirements, or detention.
Related bills
AB1655CalWORKs: temporary absence: immigration detention.↓Restricts immigration enforcement Law
AB1807Immigration enforcement: use of state-owned property.↓Restricts immigration enforcement↓Restricts immigration enforcement Law
AB1994Defending Immigrant Victims Act.↓Restricts immigration enforcement=No change to immigration enforcement Law