From Top of the Class at Armwood High to Center of the Immigration Debate

At President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Feb. 12, at the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., an Armwood High School graduate, first in his class, was to be in attendance as testament to the “complicated and unresolved debate over immigration,” according to a report posted by the Tampa Bay Times.

The post concerns Jose Godinez-Samperio, who, as noted in the Tampa Bay Times report, was first in his class at Armwood High in Seffner, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, graduated from Florida State University’s law school, but “cannot be admitted to the Florida Bar because he’s not a U.S. citizen.”

Godinez-Samperio reportedly was born in Mexico, came to America with his parents at age 9 and was invited to the State of the Union address by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa.

• See President Obama's Four-Part Plan for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (White House online)

______________

For more on Godinez-Samperio’s reaction to the invite, his quest to seek a law license, his petition to the state Supreme Court and more, read the Tampa Bay Times report, Florida Man Center at Center of Immigration Debate a Guest at Tuesday’s State of the Union.

______________

Tune in to ABCNews.com for livestreaming coverage of the 2013 State of the Union Address. Coverage starts at 8:50 p.m. (Eastern Standard time).

From the White House:

Live stream broadcast through:

• The White House Live App on Facebook
• YouTube
• Google+ Page

______________