Illegal Immigrant Interns at State Capitol
Among his duties while working in Sacramento was to help research proposed legislation.
By Lindsay Hood
Tuesday, Aug 9, 2011 | Updated 6:57 AM PDT

At the age of 21, Sergio has an undying love of politics. He has already interned for two state lawmakers and hopes to pursue a career in politics. He plans to commit himself to changing his community, but there is one catch: Sergio is in the country illegally, he can’t even vote.

"It is something that I am really passionate about, but because of my position, it gets really frustrating," Sergio said.

A student at San Diego State University, Sergio graduated from San Diego High School with a 4.3 GPA, and entered SDSU with a full privately funded scholarship.

Sergio is an active student leader at SDSU. Over the past few years, he has traveled to Sacramento for various paid fellowships, including two at the state Capitol with California State Assembly Members Tony Mendoza (AD-56) and Assembly Member Marty Block (AD-7.

Sergio’s outgoing personality has helped him make several connections and friendships, which have helped him jump over obstacles that could stop him from completing his education.

At his request, we are not using Sergio's real name to protect his identity. We came across Sergio while doing a story on students whose lives would be impacted by the passage of California's DREAM Act.

Sergio is one of an estimated 600 illegal immigrants attending college in California. Assembly Bill 540 allows undocumented students to attend college, and the DREAM Act allows them to get financial aid.

"I always figure out a way," Sergio said. "At some point, it has been working within the resources that I have. I have been grateful to make connections and make some really great friendships."

He says his friends tease him about going to work in politics, but not being able to vote.

"I remember having a conversation with some of my friends and they were like ‘how is it that you are such a political freak and you haven't been able to vote here in the United States or in Mexico,’" Sergio explained. "And I'm like there are other ways in which I can actually influence the political atmosphere with a more direct way, for example, when I was working with Assembly Member Mendoza or Assembly Member Block's office, I was actually advising the member on how to vote on certain things. By collecting information, by analyzing bills, by doing things that other people are not able to do."

Sergio spent this past July in the Sacramento office of his local assembly member Marty Block. Sergio used his connections to find a place to stay during his internship. Sergio was lucky enough to find a place to stay with a staff member of a high-ranking assembly member.

Sergio’s fellowships, both of which awarded a $3000 stipend, were administered by two private non-profit organizations, the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project and the Equality California Institute and were funded by Comcast, which owns this website and television station.

During his time in Sacramento, Sergio spent time working with Assembly Member Block’s legislative director Margaret Pena.

"It was analyzing the bills, the positions and how he would feel about it and all that kind of stuff," Sergio said. "It was awesome.â€