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Illegal immigrant Sergio Garcia gets California law license | Illegal immigrant Sergio Garcia gets California law license |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The supreme court of California has granted a law license to an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who has lived for years in the US. | The supreme court of California has granted a law license to an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who has lived for years in the US. |
Sergio Garcia, 36, arrived in the US nearly two decades ago without papers. | Sergio Garcia, 36, arrived in the US nearly two decades ago without papers. |
He attended law school and passed the California bar exam, but has not yet been granted a visa. | He attended law school and passed the California bar exam, but has not yet been granted a visa. |
Mr Garcia challenged a 1996 law barring illegal immigrants from receiving professional licences, a rule later changed by Governor Jerry Brown. | Mr Garcia challenged a 1996 law barring illegal immigrants from receiving professional licences, a rule later changed by Governor Jerry Brown. |
The new lawyer was born in Mexico in 1977 and brought to California less than two years later, according to a statement from the California supreme court. | The new lawyer was born in Mexico in 1977 and brought to California less than two years later, according to a statement from the California supreme court. |
He returned to Mexico with his family at age nine, but illegally re-entered the US when he was 17. | |
'Good moral character' | 'Good moral character' |
Mr Garcia's father, who had legally obtained resident status, filed for a visa on his son's behalf soon after. | Mr Garcia's father, who had legally obtained resident status, filed for a visa on his son's behalf soon after. |
But because of a long backlog of applicants, Mr Garcia has not yet been granted a visa. | But because of a long backlog of applicants, Mr Garcia has not yet been granted a visa. |
He picked almonds and worked in a grocery store to pay his way through university and Cal Northern School of Law, later passing the California bar examination on his first attempt. | |
Mr Garcia subsequently challenged a 1996 federal law barring people living in the US illegally from receiving professional licenses from government agencies or with the use of public funds. | Mr Garcia subsequently challenged a 1996 federal law barring people living in the US illegally from receiving professional licenses from government agencies or with the use of public funds. |
The federal government argued the California court's budget was funded by public money, thus precluding him from being granted a license. | The federal government argued the California court's budget was funded by public money, thus precluding him from being granted a license. |
Meanwhile, Mr Brown signed a series of immigrant rights bill in October, including one allowing undocumented people to be granted law licenses. That law took effect on 1 January. | |
On Thursday, the state's supreme court unanimously ruled in favour of Mr Garcia, determining he "possesses the requisite good moral character to qualify for a law license", the statement concluded. | On Thursday, the state's supreme court unanimously ruled in favour of Mr Garcia, determining he "possesses the requisite good moral character to qualify for a law license", the statement concluded. |