Drivers Licenses For Illegal Immigrants in California Gaining Momentum?

By Dennis Romero Thu., May 3 2012 at 7:03 AM

Tara Tiger Brown

The LAPD's move to drop 30-day impounds of cars belonging to unlicensed drivers stopped by cops has been controversial to say the least.

The L.A. police union thinks the new policy could put dangerous drivers back on the road: It's suing the department, arguing that the rule contradicts state law.

But immigrants' rights advocates think the department just wrote a check for ...

... reviving efforts to let the undocumented get licenses in California.

Even some opponents of the LAPD's impound policy, which Chief Charlie Beck has said is about "fairness and compassion," admit that giving licenses to illegals would solve the problem. Some of them even support licenses for the undocumented.

License and registration, please.

State Assemblyman Gil Cedillo has been the man behind years' worth of efforts to get this done. Licenses for the undocumented were allowed until Gov. Pete Wilson took office in a wave of anti-immigrant fervor.

Post-Wilson, Cedillo wrote bills to give illegals their licenses back.

His argument is that so many of us depend on these newcomers, from the farm workers who put salads on your plate to the guys who cook food in restaurants, that the only solution is to ensure they know the rules of L.A.'s vast, vehicle-required roads.

It's sort of like the abstinence-versus-condoms debate: People are going to do it, so mind as well make it safe.

At one point, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vowed to sign a version of Cedillo's bill, but he backed off under pressure from fellow Republicans.

Cedillo seems to think that he has an potential ally in Gov. Jerry Brown, who signed the pro-immigrant Dream Act for undocumented college students.

And so none other than the New York Times this week argued that momentum was on Gil's side, thanks to the LAPD.

Daniel Savage, Mr. Cedillo's chief of staff, told the paper:

I'm as optimistic as I ever have been in the 15 years we've been talking about this.

We'll see.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

Charlie Beck, drivers licenses, Gil Cedillo, illegal immigrants, LAPD, undocumented

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tknight_69

1 Like

When you say biggest invaders (a term that you should be fond of), and you used the term Europeans, you meant the Spanish, right ? Or did you mean the Mexicans ? as both were here invading LONG before ANY caucasion even thought about showing up. A fact that most Mexicans "convieniently" forget. More bloody than any barrio street gang ? Alot of empty talk from a descendent of a race known for thousands of years of blood sacrifice of its' own people (children especially).

Stangspitfire07

Lets make our streets and highways safer by teaching everyone how to drive in California.

Burkey Devitt

Didn't the Attorney General issue a statement that the impound policy doesn't contradict state law? Whether the Weekly agrees or disagrees, it would be good to include that in the story.

It's interesting for sure. But the impound policy should apply to everyone, not just illegals. If it's not mandatory for illegals it shouldn't be mandatory for legals. Maybe that's the way they wrote it and I missed that part?

Burkey Devitt

OK--I think I answered my own question. It applies to everyone. So why people are making this about illegals I don't know. But some people are obsessed with illegals esp. those who believe they are being robbed by the poor rather than the rich, and can't stop obsessing about what someone else is taking from them.

Mike

Chief Charlie Beck needs to be impeached and deported to Mexico.

Discid

Licencing illegal aliens to drive is no different from invitation for more people with problems to come. Why are we inviting problems? USA have no obligation what so ever to be a refuge for people who don't want to live in their own country, and Americans should not have to support them.

Yoo Focker

Tell me why I should get car insurance?? Illegals do not drive with car insurance, why should I pay for one? Why don't we just give illegals free housing, free schooling, our tax dollars, and free health care?? Oh wait, they already get all this. whining b!tches

Burkey Devitt

1 Like

This is only for people who do have liability insurance. Don't have it, get impounded regardless. That's my understanding Yoo Focker.

bluee267

@Burkey Devitt lol

Pedrito1257

1 Like

My dad does have car insurance.... Dont be so ignorant pls!

Jarheadfrog

Yeah, a lot do, and they're not the ones who flee from accidents or drive drunk... because they're responsible members of society, as evidenced by their purchase of insurance. For every one like him though, I'll show you 20 who don't have insurance, and engage in those behaviors with nothing to lose. That's reality...