Vice President Kamala Harris played a crucial role in advocating for an undocumented Mexican immigrant to become the first licensed attorney in U.S. history.
Harris, who was California’s attorney general at the time, supported Sergio Covarrubias Garcia’s case in 2012 as he fought for his attorney license, as reported by the Sacramento Bee on Wednesday.
Garcia relocated with his parents from Mexico to Northern California at the age of 17, and he faced a long battle to realize his aspiration of becoming an attorney, eventually taking his case before the California Supreme Court.
The report details that Garcia worked in almond orchards, at a grocery store, obtained two degrees from a community college, and earned a paralegal certificate from California State University, Chico. He later graduated from law school and successfully passed the bar exam on his first attempt in 2009; however, he was initially denied his license by the California Supreme Court.
KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTERS UNSURE WHEN ASKED ABOUT VP’S POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Vice President Kamala Harris. (Reuters/Hannah Beier)
This controversy garnered significant media attention and was noted by the Obama administration, which opposed Garcia’s case. The Justice Department under Obama argued that a 1996 law was clearly intended to prevent undocumented individuals from obtaining licenses from state bodies and the federal government.
While currently serving in the Biden administration, Harris publicly challenged the stance taken by the Obama administration when Biden was vice president. She even submitted a brief supporting Garcia’s legal battle and provided legal representation for him from her office to argue his case in front of the state Supreme Court.
The state bar, various civil rights organizations, and Latino legislators all rallied behind Garcia, as noted in the report; however, Harris’ endorsement was deemed the turning point, according to UC Davis law school dean Kevin Johnson, who represented the State Bar of California in supporting Garcia’s appeal.
“When the highest law enforcement officer of a state advocates for this, indicating that it is legal and permissible, the California Supreme Court takes notice,” Johnson remarked. “She could have chosen to avoid political backlash, but she chose to stand with the State Bar of California and Sergio Garcia, and I commend her for that.”
In her amicus brief supporting Garcia, then-attorney general Harris took a stance contrary to that of the Obama administration, asserting that allowing an undocumented immigrant to achieve a law license aligned with policies that “encourage immigrants, both documented and undocumented, to contribute productively to society.”
Former President Obama, left, and President Biden attending a ceremony for the unveiling of their official portraits on September 7, 2022 at the White House. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
HOW LONG WILL THE KAMALA HARRIS HONEYMOON IN THE POLLS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP LAST?
“It is not criminal to be present or to work in the U.S. without legal immigration status, and Garcia has never faced charges for unlawful entry,” stated Harris’ office in the brief. “Garcia has been open about his immigration status with federal authorities and is eligible for a visa when it becomes available.”
The California Supreme Court eventually ruled in favor of Harris unanimously, allowing Garcia to become the nation’s first undocumented attorney, which led to the enactment of a 2014 law permitting immigrants without legal status to apply for professional licenses.
Garcia’s case has gained renewed attention as Harris has emerged as the likely Democratic presidential candidate, particularly with regards to her immigration record during her assignment by Biden in 2021 to address the “root causes” of illegal migration.
Now a practicing attorney in Chico, California, Garcia remarked to the Sacramento Bee that Harris took significant risks by supporting him over a decade ago.
“She stood to gain nothing by backing me, yet had an immense amount to lose,” Garcia stated.
Vice President Kamala Harris was early on tasked by President Biden to address the underlying issues causing mass migration from Central and South America. (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/Pool)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Garcia expressed some disappointment with the current Biden administration’s approach to immigration and its outreach to the Latino community. He stated he would continue to support her presidential campaign but urged Harris to advocate for immigration reform and to “shine for the immigrant community” by assisting the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently residing in the U.S.
“I hope that if she becomes president, she will demonstrate to the nation—and especially to the Latino community—the same person she was for me,” Garcia noted.
The Harris campaign did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
