Politics & Government

State Legislators Pass Bill Allowing Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

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By Rebecca Whitnall and City News Service

California state legislators on Friday voted to pass Assembly Bill 60 (AB-60), which would allow immigrants, including those here illegally, to obtain driver's licenses.
The state Assembly approved the bill on a 55-19 vote the Senate's passing it 28-8.

Following the bill's passage, Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement indicating he will sign it.

“This bill will enable millions of people to get to work safely and legally. Hopefully, it will send a message to Washington that immigration reform is long past due," Brown said.

Licenses for undocumented residents would have a DP for "driver's privilege" rather than a DL for "driver's license" and would state that the document "does not establish eligibility for employment or public benefit," the Christian Science Monitor reported.

Locally, Los Angeles Councilmember Gil Cedillo applauded the legislators. 

"Today marks an important day in history and ends a long chapter of fighting for the public safety of all drivers on our roads," he said.

Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles indicated the bill doesn't go far enough but is a "step in the right direction."

"This bill responds to an urgent need by more than a million working men and women in California who want to be properly trained, drive without fear ... We will continue to work with the legislature, DMV, and other law enforcement agencies to ensure all qualified motorists in California, regardless of immigration status, get an opportunity and the privilege to drive without fear of persecution, bias, or racial profiling," she said.

But not every Californian is a fan. Davi Rodrigues of Save Our State, an anti-illegal-immigration activist group, said by passing the bill, the Legislature "has created yet another special class of persons who are to be exempted from average laws."

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the best estimates suggest that in 2010 California was home to about 2.6 million undocumented immigrants. 

"Almost a quarter (23%) of the nation’s undocumented immigrants reside in California—by contrast, the state’s share of the nation’s overall population is only about one-eighth," the Institute reported.

Do you support AB-60? Should people illegally living in California be allowed to get driver's licenses? Share your thoughts in the comments section.


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