I'd like to honor Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing AB 976, a new law which prohibits California cities and counties from enacting ordinances that would require residential landlords to inquire about the immigration or citizenship status of any tenant or prospective tenant.

At the Courage Campaign, we believe it is important to maintain integrity and highlight political acts of courage regardless of political party or affiliation.

Schwarzenegger's action comes at a time when many regressive cities around the country are passing segregationist-era type laws to force landlords to discriminate against immigrants looking for housing.

The bill banning citizenship checks of tenants was written by Assemblyman Charles Calderon of Montebello in response to actions by the city of Escondido earlier this year.

Speaking on behalf of residential building owners, Calderon says "Landlords do not want to be immigration officers; they simply want to make a living."

This new bill should be a model for other states looking stop these hostile attempts to openly discriminate against immigrants.

Now I look forward to Schwarzenegger's signing of the California Dream Act, a bill that would provide in-state tuition and financial aid eligibility for undocumented immigrant students who were raised here, graduated from our high schools and want to further themselves with a college education.