The California Supreme Court granted a license Thursday to Sergio Garcia, 36, in a unanimous decision.
Garcia, who attended law school and passed the state bar exam while working in a grocery store and on farms, can begin practicing law immediately.
Garcia said he hoped the decision would serve as a “beacon of hope” to others in the same situation. He plans to be a personal injury attorney in his hometown of Chico.
It’s the latest in a string of legal and legislative victories for people who are in the country without permission. Other successes include the creation of a path to citizenship for many young people and the granting of driver’s licenses in some states.
“This is a bright new day in California history and bodes well for the future,” the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles said in a statement.
The court sided with state officials in the case, which pitted them against the White House over a 1996 federal law that bars people who are in the U.S. illegally from receiving professional licenses from government agencies or with the use of public money, unless state lawmakers vote otherwise.
Bill Hing, a law professor at the University of San Francisco, said the court made clear the only reason it granted Garcia’s request is that California recently approved a law that specifically authorizes the state to give law licenses to immigrants who are here illegally.
Gonna go out on a limb here, but I predict that Mr Garcia will specialize in immigration law now that there will be a need to pave the way for an easy transition for all 43 million illegals.
No need to be a legal citizen…and I’ll make that legal.
Sure it will “serve as a “beacon of hope” to others”:
Lookie here! We can break any law we want and get treated like royalty! Come on everyone, before they shoot the idiots and take back their country!
Once those 40+ million become legal,I won’t have to vote anymore. 40+ win for the democrap party.
We’re doomed. And of course they will be made exempt from Obamacare for 20 years.
If they were required to buy it. They would high tale it back over the border.
Even they can’t believe the Government can force you to buy it.
So its easier to get a law degree than to gain citizenship? Really?
WTF?
Oh, it’s California. NVM.
So, I am assuming that he does all his work Pro Bono, since if he was paid he would have to pay taxes, which requires that he have a valid social security number, and we all know a lawyer would NEVER do anything illegal like using someone else’s SS number!
If I had a criminal record I couldn’t get a law license. Why can he? He is a criminal.
Just what the land of fruits and nuts needs: another ambulance chaser.
I assume WE taxpayers paid for his education too…one which should have gone to AN AMERICAN CITIZEN???
One more Treasonous Judge to hang!
I would have serious doubts about an attorney who didn’t play by the rules.
California:
Where we make the unthinkable happen!
For a visitor’s guide, dial our visitor’s center located in Macau, but stay on the line for an hour so we can access your private information. Money doesn’t grow on trees you know.