Florida’s provision will block aspirations to practice law among certain immigrants



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Juan Carlos Chavez, Tampa Bay Times
Tue, August 1, 2023 at 6:30 AM EDT



Jose Godinez-Samperio was brought to U.S. from Mexico by his parents when he was 9.

In 2014, he achieved his dream of becoming a lawyer after the state amended legislation to allow non-U.S. citizens and immigrants without permanent legal status like him to pursue a career.

But a new provision in Florida could change that.

“I think it’s a really bad decision,” said Godinez-Samperio, 37, who now lives in Mexico City but works for a U.S.-based immigration law firm. “All the contributions that immigrants are making in Florida will go to waste.”

The provision, which will take effect in November 2028 and not be retroactive, its part of the new immigration law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis which became law July 1. The measure has already caused anxiety and uncertainty among the immigrant community.

João Gameiro, 24, is one of them.

Gameiro arrived with his parents from Brazil when he was 2. He recently graduated from the University of Central Florida in Orlando with a degree in political science and international relations. His goal was to study law at the Florida State University, but now he’s considering attending other colleges due to the provision, such as American University Law School in Washington, D.C.
Gameiro compared the provision to a ‘medieval’ measure.

“Perhaps it is a way that DeSantis’ government wants to keep people who would want to change the laws and immigration policies away from being able to do that,” he said.

Danielle Hernandez, an immigration attorney in Ybor City, said the provision is an unnecessary political stunt.

“I fear the brain drain it can create, with viable candidates choosing one of the other 12 states that allow undocumented persons to practice law,” said Hernandez.
Jennifer Krell Davis, the Florida Bar communications director, said they do not have a position on the provision.

DeSantis, who declared his run for president in May, made the immigration legislation a key issue in his bid for the Republican primary vote. The provision will repeal a 2014 Florida law, a bipartisan effort signed by former Gov. Rick Scott, now a Republican U.S. Senator.

McKinley Lewis, Scott’s spokesperson, said Scott continues to support his 2014 legislation.

“It is unfair and cruel to punish these students who have worked hard to achieve the highest levels of academic success for the wrongs of their parents and the failures of Washington politicians to fix our immigration system,” said Lewis.

The 2014 law granted the privilege of obtaining a license to practice law within the state for immigrants who are under certain programs such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), known as Dreamers, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries.

Gaby Pacheco, director of Advocacy for TheDream.US, a nonprofit that helps Dreamers to graduate from college, said it’s no secret that the new law was intentionally made to fuel fear in Florida’s immigrant population.

“To all students affected, if Florida won’t recognize your efforts, other states will,” she said. “Don’t despair; it’s their loss.”


https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-p...103000813.html