Regardless of one’s political leanings, one cannot deny the impact Gov. Jerry Brown has had on California so far in his third term as governor.
Brown distanced himself from the Democratic Party on Monday after he vetoed a measure that would have permitted non-citizens to serve on juries, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In a letter to lawmakers, Brown articulated why he did not support Assembly Bill 1401.
“Jury service, like voting, is quintessentially a perogative and responsibility of citizenship,” Brown wrote. “This bill would permit lawful permanent residents who are not citizens to serve on a jury. I don’t think that’s right.”
Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) disagreed.
“Lawful permanent immigrants are part of the fabric of our communities, and they benefit from the protections of our laws,” he told the LA Times. “I don’t see anything wrong with imposing this civic obligation on immigrants who can spend the rest of their lives in the U.S.”
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a lawful permanent resident is defined as any immigrant who lives in the U.S. lawfully. Typically, lawful permanent residents are green card holders.
By vetoing AB 1401, Brown signaled that he was not willing to cooperate with his party on every issue.
This act of solidarity, however small, signifies that Brown is a man who is still guided by his internal moral compass.
Surprisingly, Brown’s veto of AB 1401 won support from some Republicans.
“Allowing noncitizens to serve on juries threatens the integrity of our judicial system,” Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) said to the LA Times. “In this country, we believe in due process and you’re innocent until proven guilty. Having noncitizens on a jury will deny people from getting a fair trial.”
Brown’s decision to veto AB 1401 comes after he signed dozens of pieces of immigration legislation into law.
Under Assembly Bill 60, undocumented immigrants will be allowed to receive driver’s licenses.
Other bills will allow undocumented immigrants to practice law and prevent retaliation in the workplace over one’s citizenship status.
Through the high number of bills signed in the past few weeks, Brown has cemented himself as a pro-immigration governor.
While some critics may say Brown is pandering to undocumented immigrants, the fact is that these reforms are much needed.
Renewed calls to deport undocumented immigrants are ill-fated, as the amount of time and resources devoted to such efforts would be great.
As the end of Brown’s term nears, one can hope he will do more for undocumented immigrants living in California.
The impact that Brown has made on immigration issues in California will last decades after he exits the political arena.
One could not ask for a better legacy than that.
Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor at the Daily 49er.