Although he passed the California State Bar exam on the first try, Sergio Garcia cannot obtain a law license. The reason: he is an undocumented immigrant. The Huffington Post reports:

A majority of California Supreme Court justices appeared reluctant Wednesday to grant a law license to Sergio Garcia, who graduated law school and passed the state's bar exam but has been living illegally in the United States for 20 years. A federal law passed by Congress in 1996 bars immigrants in the country illegally from receiving 'professional licenses' from government agencies or with the use of public funds unless state lawmakers specifically vote otherwise.

Sergio Garcia, who self-financed his way through law school by working at a grocery store and publishing a self-help book (is this it? If so get that man a law license immediately), states in the article: ""This is about trying to live the American Dream and showing other immigrants that hard work and dedication does mean something in this country... "

The Obama Administration is arguing against Garcia obtaining his law license. Rather confusing, as Immigration Impact notes: "...Garcia is precisely the type of person the Obama Administration has been urging deserves an opportunity to obtain lawful status and get on a path to citizenship."

UPDATE: California Governor Brown signed AB 1024 into law. This allows applicants who are not lawfully present in the United States, to be admitted as an attorney at law. The Huffington Post interviews Garcia here.

UPDATE II: Garcia has been granted a law license.