California lawmakers have approved legislation that allows illegals to participate in a state housing program offering interest-free loans of up to $150,000 for home down payments and associated fees.

The bill, which passed along party lines in both the Assembly and Senate, now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom's signature.

The Home Purchase Assistance Program, which has already provided nearly 4,000 loans totaling over half a billion dollars, would expand eligibility to include applicants regardless of immigration status. Democrat Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, who introduced the bill, emphasized that the program aims to attract individuals with good credit scores who meet qualifying criteria.

"We are saying that we want you to set roots here in our great state if you qualify, only if you qualify," Arambula stated, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

However, the measure has faced strong opposition from Republican lawmakers. They argue that it could incentivize illegal immigration and create unfair competition for U.S. citizens struggling in the housing market.

Assemblymember Bill Essayli (R) criticized the bill, saying, "It's a slap in the face to legal immigrants when we incentivize the breaking of our laws and the normalizing of being in this country unlawfully."

California democrats love illegal immigration so much they offer many incentives for them to come here.

Today, the Assembly just voted to give illegal immigrants free down payment assistance (up to $150k) to buy a house a new home. Thats on top of providing free health care and… pic.twitter.com/qGJ4OIcLCG

— Bill Essayli (@billessayli) August 29, 2024