Illegals Want Their Day In Court … As Attorneys

Of all the professions in the land (with the possible exception of politicians), lawyers are the most universally reviled. Coming from someone who has covered district courts for years as a journalist, I can say that many of the complaints are warranted.

Attorneys do serve a vital role in the judicial system, though, and at the very least, I assume these individuals understand and live by the laws they dedicate their careers to uphold. Based on the actions of illegal aliens across the country, though, I can no longer even make that most basic of assumptions.

In a prime example of the “Do as I say, not as I do” mentality, individuals whose very presence in an American courtroom constitutes a knowing and flagrant disregard for our laws now wish to be among those citing law as practicing attorneys.

Undocumented law school graduates in California, Florida, and New York are currently engaged in a push for their respective states to allow them entry to the bar. A recent article documenting the trend indicated one such graduate was not permitted to join the California bar because he indicated on his application that he was in the country illegally. Apparently, he literally checked a box on the application admitting to violating this country’s immigration law, yet retains the audacity to demand his place among legitimate attorneys.

There used to be a common expression among amnesty supporters indicating those illegals are only doing the jobs Americans won’t do. I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure that with actual unemployment well into the double-digits, there are at least a few Americans willing to make a comfortable living as a lawyer.

Now it’s up to the state’s Supreme Court to rule on the matter. A judge is going to rule on whether to simply disregard a man’s lawbreaking or disregard a man’s lawbreaking and allow him to become an integral part in the arbitration of justice. If the judge in this case were truly seeking jurisprudence, wouldn’t he or she decide this man is admittedly in violation of the law and send him packing? The court’s role is usually to determine whether a crime has been committed. In this case, an individual is showing up, pleading guilty, and asking the court to reward him for it.

Although I vehemently disagree with them, I can rationalize the position of those who support Obama’s call for backdoor amnesty for those illegals brought at a young age to America by their parents. It’s clear many of these aspiring lawyers fall into that camp. The Federation for American Immigration Reform’s Ira Mehlman, though, summarized my position well.

While conceding these illegal students find themselves in an unfortunate circumstance, he said, “We all suffer from poor decisions that our parents made.” Disregarding and even rewarding an individual for entering our country in violation of the law not only does a disservice to that individual but also makes a mockery of our entire immigration system. After what this administration has done so far, though, there’s little else to mock.

I understand this is a sensitive issue with no easy answer; even some on the right whom I greatly respect favor some form of amnesty for high-achieving children brought illegally into the country. I, however, believe in the rule of law and, for whatever reason, these law school graduates are in constant violation. One should not be allowed to practice law in the courtroom when it is apparent to everyone that he or she refuses to practice law outside of it.

Photo Credit: terrellaftermath