Does it make sense to allow someone who has broken our immigration laws to be admitted to the practice of law? Most people would answer “no,” but then not much makes sense when it comes to the morass of immigration policy these days. This is why the decision by the California Supreme Court on Jan. 2 to admit Sergio Garcia to the practice of law in the state should come as no surprise.
Garcia came illegally to California as a 17-month-old baby, brought by his migrant worker parents. He lived in California until he was 9 years old, and then returned with his family to Mexico in 1986. In 1994, at age 17, he accompanied his father back to California to work in the fields picking almonds. By then, the father had obtained legal status in America and immediately applied for legal status for his son. Nineteen years later, Garcia still awaits a decision on his permanent resident status, which is not uncommon for those who try to legally traverse the system. Meanwhile, Garcia graduated high school, college and law school. He took the bar examination right after graduating from Cal Northern School of Law and passed it on the first try — a feat only about half of 2013 bar exam takers managed. When Garcia applied for admission to the state bar, however, the Supreme Court was faced with a dilemma.
