American Bar Association Votes to Allow Illegal Aliens to Become Lawyers
Undocumented law graduates should not be denied the opportunity to join the bar and practice law based solely on their immigration status, according to the American Bar Association.
The ABA’s House of Delegates on Monday adopted a resolution urging the federal government to amend the law to make clear that individual jurisdictions have the ability to admit undocumented law graduates to the bar without running afoul of federal immigration legislation.
The resolution, proposed by the ABA’s Law Student Division, argues that a patchwork of different state laws and court rules regarding undocumented law graduates has created confusion and uncertainty across the country for law students and graduates who lack legal status. Moreover, undocumented law graduates have much to offer the legal profession, proponents agued. While they are barred from working as traditional employees, they can legally perform pro bono work, work as solo practitioners or contractors and offer legal advice outside the UnitedStates.
Thomas Kim, an incoming third-year law student at Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law who is an undocumented immigrant from South Korea, spoke in support of the measure before the ABA delegates.
“As an undocumented law student, I am encouraged and thankful by the ABA’s passing of [the resolution],” Kim said after the vote Monday. “This means undocumented law students all over the country will be able to become licensed attorneys, substantively contributing to their communities.”
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