Carlos Hernandez packed up his family and left Arizona after the state passed its sweeping immigration crackdown. The illegal immigrant’s new home outside Seattle offered something Arizona could not: a driver’s license.
Three states – Washington, New Mexico and Utah – allow illegal immigrants to get licenses because their laws do not require proof of citizenship or legal residency. An Associated Press analysis found that those states have seen a surge in immigrants seeking IDs in recent months, a trend experts attribute to crackdowns on illegal immigration in Arizona and elsewhere.
“It’s difficult being undocumented and not having an identification,” said Hernandez, of Puebla, Mexico. “You can use the Mexican ID, but people look down on it.” An American driver’s license is also a requirement for many jobs.
The immigration debate has thrown a spotlight on the license programs, which supporters say make financial sense because unlicensed drivers typically do not carry car insurance. Opponents insist the laws attract illegal immigrants and criminals.
Opponents to giving illegals a driver’s license, No Questions Asked: 1
Supporters of giving illegals a driver’s license, No Questions Asked: 0
The guy is comfortable enough to have the tale of how he left Arizona after it became unfriendly published in the Seattle Times. I won’t even talk to them and I’m a citizen.
Sadly, if they thought they could get more good press than bad press out of it the majority of WA legislators would go down and publicly protest the AZ law.
Oregon used to be one of those states issuing licences to Mexicans also, but the practice was finally halted after the Oregon Attorney General read the Real ID Act, a Federal initiative to prevent such pandering, and opined that the Feds could and would make it stick.
Alas, that “make it stick” might have been there during the Bush Administration, but it DOESN’T seem to be there during the Obama Administration.
So, if orderly citizens of those three states actually give a rip, they might just inquire of their elected State officials as to why the Real ID Act is not being followed in their states.
“unlicensed drivers typically don’t carry car insurance” ……….
Will insurance companies even insure (and cover in a resulting accident) an unlicensed driver ? Didn’t think they did. But what do I know ? Things are “strange” right now.
Karma – coming to another liberal pesthole soon. Gotta love it.