California's [illegal] immigrant driver's license bill is driving debate

Some say measure sent to Gov. Brown amounts to 'quasi-amnesty' for those in the country illegally.


By Richard Winton, Kate Mather and Hector Becerra
September 13, 2013, 6:23 p.m.

California's move to allow more than a million immigrants to receive driver's licenses marks a significant advance in the long campaign to decriminalize the day-to-day lives of those in this country illegally.

The plan was the most prominent of several pieces of legislation approved this week aimed at strengthening the rights of [illegal] immigrants in California. But it also brought new protests from critics who say the state is protecting undocumented workers at the expense of federal immigration laws.

The bill, sent to Gov. Jerry Brown late Thursday, comes after some of California's top law enforcement officials including Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck and L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca expressed strong support for the idea. They argued that immigrants should not fear cooperating with police or feel harassed simply because of their immigration status

Activists have complained for years that undocumented immigrants stopped at drunk-driving checkpoints have had their cars impounded even if the drivers are sober because they don't have valid licenses. Police also say these immigrants, unable to get car insurance, are involved in more hit-and-run accidents.
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http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/15/5736345/marcos-breton-giving-drive...
Marcos Breton: Giving drivers licenses to ‘illegal immigrants’ is absurd, but not for the reason you may think