California’s new undocumented jurors

April 26, 2013

By Katy Grimes

The dead Boston Bomber, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, would have been eligible to serve on a jury in California, if state legislators have their way.

The Assembly passed a bill Thursday that would  allow non-citizens who are in the U.S.  legally to serve on jury duty.

Just when you thought the state couldn’t favor non-citizens any more, once again California is racing to be the first state in the country to pass a ridiculous law affording non-citizens rights previously reserved only for American citizens.

But that’s not all.

Democratic lawmakers at the state Capitol are currently trying to pass a law allowing illegal immigrants to obtain a California driver’s license. Last year they passed a law allowing illegal immigrants to apply for and receive student financial aid benefits and state-funded grants for college.

But here is an interesting thought: The dead Boston Bomber, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, would have been eligible to serve on a jury since he was a “legal immigrant” but not yet a citizen.

This is what life in California has become under a Democratic supermajority.

“Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, said his bill, AB1401, would help California widen the pool of prospective jurors and help integrate immigrants into the community. It does not change other criteria for being eligible to serve on a jury, such as being at least 18, live in the county that is making the summons and being proficient in English,” the AP reported.

The bill passed 45-25 on a mostly party line vote. Only one Democrat voted no, while many other Democrats chose not to vote on the bill. Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, cast the only ‘no’ vote for the Democrats.

I had no idea there was a shortage of jurors in California. My husband was recently let out of jury duty since there were so many jurors to choose from in Sacramento County.

Democrats argued there is no correlation between being a citizen and a juror. And somehow because there is no citizenship requirement to be an attorney or a judge, Democrats claimed the bill was justified.

Republican’s however, called AB 1401 “misguided and premature.”

“Jury selection is not the problem,” said Assemblywoman Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point. “The problem is trial court funding. I hope we can focus on that. Let’s not break something that’s not broken now. Let’s not whittle away at what is reserved for U.S. citizens. There’s a reason for it.”

If you weren’t outraged over the previous bills affording illegal immigrants rights and liberties previously reserved for American citizens, AB 1401 should convince you that this Legislature is hell-bent on eroding what’s left of California.