While
only a few states still issue drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants,
progressive leaders need to emphasize that many top law enforcement officials are on record supporting such drivers
license identification programs as a way to bring undocumented immigrants out
of the shadows, and better track state residents for law enforcement purposes.
Top
officials who have publicly supported these measures include former New York
police chief William Bratton, who now heads Los Angeles' police force, and anti-terror officials like Richard A.
Clark, the counter-terrorism czar for Presidents Clinton and
Bush.
Eight
states
do not require proof of legal status to obtain a driver license: Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington,
with none of them suffering ill effects to public safety.
There
are a number of models for removing bars to undocumented immigrants receiving
licenses:
- New Jersey A2607 would permit
the state to issue driving privilege cards, with the same privileges and
legal responsibilities of a basic driver's license, to persons who cannot
prove ID or lawful presence in the country.
- California SB 60 would require
compliance with the REAL ID Act of 2005, but would also require the
Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a driver's license that permits
driving, and is not acceptable by a federal agency for federal identification
or for any other official purpose, to an applicant who does not provide
valid documentary evidence of lawful status under the federal
act.
Many
Americans are concerned about lost privacy in all aspects of our lives, so
another approach is to combine licensing laws for immigrants with a more
general policy denying the DMV the right to inquire about a wide range of
personal information, from legal status to gender orientation, as long as the
person can produce some reasonable identification.
See
also:
