Florida Supreme Court denies law license to illegal immigrant
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. A man brought into the country as a child on a visitor's visa has been denied a license to practice law.
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday denied Jose Godinez-Samperio's motion for admission to the Bar.
That's because the court can't rule on his admission until it resolves the question of whether people who enter or remain in the U.S. without legal permission can be attorneys in Florida. That decision is pending.
Godinez-Samperio's parents brought him to the United States from Mexico on a visitor's visa when he was 9. They overstayed their visas and never returned to Mexico.
He graduated from Florida State University's law school and already has passed the Florida bar examination.
In January, CBS Miami reported that the state's high court decided to hold off on making a decision until the federal government acted on his application for deferral and a work permit.
President Barack Obama announced the deferral policy for young illegal immigrants in June.