Undocumented Immigrant: “I Am Being Admitted to the Bar, Thank God!”

Sergio Garcia, an undocumented immigrant, was officially granted
a law license by the California Supreme Court January 1, 2014,
after challenging a federal law that barred undocumented immigrants
from receiving professional licenses, unless state lawmakers passed
a law stating otherwise. While the court was hearing arguments in
the case, lawmakers in California passed a bill that was signed by
Gov. Jerry Brown, allowing undocumented immigrants to receive
licenses.

“With tears in my eyes I’m happy to report I am being
admitted to the bar, thank God!” said Garcia on
his Facebook page, Jan. 2.

The California Supreme Court had to sign off on all new bar
members, and when they found out about Garcia’s status, they asked
the Obama Justice Department to weigh in on the case, to which the
Department said Garcia should not receive a license.
From CNN.com:

The Obama administration originally opposed Garcia’s
admission to the bar, saying that federal law demanded that
legislation be enacted granting an undocumented immigrant the right
to practice, according to a summary published by
lawprofessors.typepad.com.

But the Justice Department
backed off in November after California’s governor signed
a new law that did just that.

The bill, which passed in October and went into effect
this week, allows the bar to admit “an applicant who is not
lawfully present in the United States (who) has fulfilled the
requirements for admission to practice law.”