
Jae Lee, a South Korean native who moved to the US at the age of 13, received lawful permanent resident status but never became an American citizen. Police arrested him in 2009 on felony charges of possession of ecstasy with intent to distribute. The criminal defense attorney he hired didn’t have much experience with immigration laws and advised Lee to plead guilty, which would lead to his automatic deportation. The case is now before the Supreme Court. The
Los Angeles Times editorial board examines the issue
in this story.