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California Supreme Court Rules That Illegal Immigrant Should Get License to Practice Law
Pajamas Media ^ | 01/02/2013 | Bridget Johnson

Posted on 01/02/2014 3:29:53 PM PST by SeekAndFind

The California Supreme Court ruled today that a 36-year-old illegal immigrant who passed the state bar exam in 2009 should be allowed to legally practice law.

Sergio Garcia, who was brought to the U.S. illegally as a baby, returned to Mexico at age 9 and illegally entered the U.S. again at age 17 with his family. He began the naturalization process in 1995 and said he’s in the queue to receive a green card but won’t get it until 2019 because of the limited number of visas available for the large number of Mexicans seeking residency.

Garcia attended Butte College, California State University at Chico, and Cal Northern School of Law. He received his law degree in May 2009.

“In response to questions on the State Bar’s application for determination of moral character, Garcia indicated that he is not a United States citizen and that his immigration status is ‘Pending,’” the state’s high court noted in its decision. “The Committee conducted an extensive investigation of Garcia’s background, employment history, and past activities, received numerous reference letters supporting Garcia’s application and attesting to his outstanding moral character and significant contributions to the community, and ultimately determined that Garcia possessed the requisite good moral character to qualify for admission to the State Bar.”

The bar found that Garcia had used a fake alien registration number to maintain employment, which Garcia said was the result of not speaking English well at the time and becoming “panicked” when asked to fill out the form.

Garcia was also cited once for driving without a license or registration, and sought a license in neighboring Oregon where proof of lawful residency wasn’t required. The investigating committee couldn’t ascertain whether he’d been in residency for the required six months before getting the Oregon driver’s license.

The committee “determined that none of these incidents impugns Garcia’s good moral character, and that the record as a whole establishes that Garcia possesses the requisite good moral character to warrant admission to the State Bar.”

“I never in my life imagined it would take me longer to win my right to practice than it took to actually get my degree,” Garcia said in response to the ruling. “I’m glad California is moving forward and I think we’re setting a good example for the rest of the country.”

On the national scale, a group called the DREAM Bar Association advocates for law licenses for its illegal immigrant membership. In response to Garcia’s case, the California State Legislature passed a law allowing illegal immigrants to practice law.

The Justice Department did file briefs arguing against a law license for Garcia, but later dropped its opposition.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: aliens; california; illegal; law

1 posted on 01/02/2014 3:29:54 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Insane.


2 posted on 01/02/2014 3:31:48 PM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: SeekAndFind

What’s the point anymore?


3 posted on 01/02/2014 3:33:36 PM PST by bkopto (Free men are not equal. Equal men are not free.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Lawlessness in LaLa land

4 posted on 01/02/2014 3:34:31 PM PST by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your teaching is my delight.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Try this stunt in Mexico and see how far you get.


5 posted on 01/02/2014 3:34:39 PM PST by bkopto (Free men are not equal. Equal men are not free.)
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To: BenLurkin

Lot of that going around since 2008


6 posted on 01/02/2014 3:35:10 PM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: bkopto

The Point is, if an illegal can practice law, he can someday be a judge or (God forbid) a justice of the supreme court — if not in California, maybe the US ( If Obama will have his way and the filibuster is now neutered ).

In short - we are now a country that has abandoned the rule of law.


7 posted on 01/02/2014 3:35:31 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Thank you. My query was a rhetorical question.


8 posted on 01/02/2014 3:37:36 PM PST by bkopto (Free men are not equal. Equal men are not free.)
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To: SeekAndFind
In short - we are now a country that has abandoned the rule of law.

Unknown to millions of Americans, we have been under communists rule for years. King Obama is a communists black Muslim and he loaded his Administration with communists. These communists are ruling America by regulations and Congress might just a well go home.

9 posted on 01/02/2014 3:43:18 PM PST by Logical me
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To: SeekAndFind

Why do I have to obey the law?

Oh right - cause I’m white....


10 posted on 01/02/2014 3:48:28 PM PST by Tzimisce
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To: SeekAndFind

Just put a border fence around CA and stop anyone from crossing it.


11 posted on 01/02/2014 3:49:24 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; me = independent conservative)
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To: SeekAndFind

Bookmark


12 posted on 01/02/2014 4:06:11 PM PST by aquila48
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To: SeekAndFind

And all this time I thought Sergio Garcia was a professional golfer.


13 posted on 01/02/2014 4:18:22 PM PST by twoputt
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To: SeekAndFind
our kids struggle to pay college loans and all the taxes required of a legal citizen while the illegals get practically free educations without taxation....

and not having proper licenses and registrations would put us in jail probably and yet apparently its no big thing if you're an illegal already....

14 posted on 01/02/2014 4:22:16 PM PST by cherry (.in the time of universal deceit, telling the truth is revolutionary.....)
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To: SeekAndFind

Doing the cross-examinations and objections that American lawyers won’t do.


15 posted on 01/02/2014 5:16:04 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: SeekAndFind

“In short - we are now a country that has abandoned the rule of law.”

Well, the government has abandoned it, anyway.


16 posted on 01/02/2014 6:17:52 PM PST by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: SeekAndFind

That must be one hell of a court in CA, loony land.


17 posted on 01/02/2014 7:38:35 PM PST by sickoflibs (Obama : 'If you like your Doctor you can keep him, PERIOD! Don't believe the GOPs warnings')
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To: SeekAndFind

Going down to Crazy Town: California court rules illegals can practice law.


18 posted on 01/03/2014 4:49:29 AM PST by Amagi (Lenin: "Socialized Medicine is the Keystone to the Arch of the Socialist State.")
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