U.S. Justice Department opposes undocumented immigrant's right to get Calif. law license

Last edited Fri Aug 3, 2012, 05:53 PM USA/ET - Edit history (2)

Source: San Jose Mercury News

The Obama administration on Thursday said giving an undocumented immigrant a California law license would violate a 1996 federal immigration law.

In a brief filed with the California Supreme Court, the U.S. Justice Department opposed Chico-area law school grad Sergio Garcia's right to become a lawyer as long as he remains an illegal immigrant. The state Supreme Court, which took up the case earlier this year, had asked the federal government for its legal opinion.

...

Garcia originally came to the United States as a toddler and returned to Mexico at about age 8, returning here for good when he turned 17 to finish high school. He has been waiting 18 years for his visa; his father and most of his siblings are already U.S. citizens.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_21221774/feds-oppose-undocumented-immigrants-right-get-california-law

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3 replies	Author	Time	Post
U.S. Justice Department opposes undocumented immigrant's right to get Calif. law license (Original post)	alp227	Aug 2012	OP
Of particular note...	strategery blunder	Aug 2012	#1
Very interesting....	midnight	Aug 2012	#2
I think the administration has read 8 USC 1621 correctly--and it is a harsh law. But CA can,	msanthrope	Aug 2012	#3

Response to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Aug 2, 2012, 09:21 PM

strategery blunder (3,852 posts)

1. Of particular note...

...He has been waiting 18 years for his visa...

Process the damn visa already!

This should be a non-issue, and the government could render the entire case moot tomorrow if it so chose if the article is correct. If he's had a visa application that the feds have sat on for 18 years, it doesn't seem like his fault he's undocumented.

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Response to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Aug 2, 2012, 11:18 PM

msanthrope (16,505 posts)

3. I think the administration has read 8 USC 1621 correctly--and it is a harsh law. But CA can,

apparently make Mr. Garcia eligible by introduction of a state law that would make his 'class' of undocumented person eligible under the section.

Either way, I hope he gets his visa soon.

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U.S. Justice Department opposes undocumented immigrant's right to get Calif. law license

1. Of particular note...

2. Very interesting....

3. I think the administration has read 8 USC 1621 correctly--and it is a harsh law. But CA can,