California Democrats are optimistic that a new law to give discounted college tuition to Mexican citizens could help grow the Southern California workforce.
Assembly Bill 91, signed into law last Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), means Mexican citizens who live within 45 miles of the California border will not have to pay five times the price of in-state tuition to attend a community college.
The average tuition of a California community college is $1,250 for a state resident, while out-of-state residents face costs of more than $6,600, according to data for the 2023-24 school year analyzed by the Community College Review organization in New York.