Illegal Immigrant Drivers Licenses in California Back Under Obama Amnesty Program?

Categories: Immigration

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DMV
A window has opened for undocumented workers to obtain drivers licenses in California.

The practice, once legal but since outlawed for nearly 15 years, could return under President Obama's program that gives work permits to illegals who came to the United States as children.

The California DMV has been taking some heat for what it will or won't do. Here's what we found out:


It will be possible for undocumenteds approved under Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to receive California licenses, if the government grants those folks one of the legal-status documents required by the DMV, department officials told the Weekly.

Those might include a Employment Authorization Card or a Temporary Resident Identification Card, per the DMV's website.

It's still up in the air, however. Not long after we spoke to the DMV, we were sent this statement:

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DMV

As the DMV initially stated, it appears that young people who receive federal deferrals will be eligible for California driver's licenses, but it remains uncertain whether clarifying legislation or regulations will be necessary. This is because under current state regulations, only certain types of federal immigration documents support the issuance of a California driver's license. Further state legislative or regulatory clarification may be needed if the federal government's new deferral program results in the issuance of new or different immigration documents.

It's a sensitive matter because some conservatives in Sacramento don't want to see it happen. They argue that state law explicitly outlaws the concept of illegals getting California drivers licenses.

Tea party state assemblyman Tim Donnelly said this last week:

The California DMV has announced that it will grant driver licenses to illegal aliens who have been granted a two-year quasi-amnesty by the Obama administration. Not only is this wildly unpopular among the citizens, but it creates a national security risk. The voters of California have made it perfectly clear that they favor keeping our driver licenses secure.

Until the 1990s, California allowed the undocumented to get licenses. Over the last decade state lawmaker Gil Cedillo has attempted to resurrect the permission. A version of his proposal even passed the state legislature only to get shutdown by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who vetoed the law despite promising to sign it.

Immigrants' rights advocates argue that not allowing people who are integral to the economy -- dishwashers, car washers, line cooks, hospitality service workers, field hands, et. al. -- learn the rules of the road via licensing is like shooting ourselves in the feet.

What's more, undocumenteds' lack of licenses, they've argued, has led to wholesale seizures of their cars whenever they've been pulled over by police (the LAPD has notoriously curtailed the practice in L.A.).

Cedillo has penned a new law in an attempt to grant licenses to illegals once more.

[Corrected at 10:51 p.m. Tuesday]: A spokesman for Cedillo says no such law is in the works but that the assemblyman would consider drafting language, if necessary, that might allow the DMV to give licenses to folks allowed to stay under the Obama's amnesty program.

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


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12 comments
davej.francis
davej.francis

THE NEVER ENDING COSTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION?

 

Illegal immigration is without exception a major issue during the presidential election. Of whether it’s the incessant harassment by Eric Holder in the Justice Department pressing the U.S. courts to inhibit local police from questioning people about their immigration status, after some traffic law broken?  Or another stain on the Obama administration; trying to gain the upper hand politically, by obstructing states from implementing picture voter ID laws to eradicate voter fraud? The public need to make the biggest decision for the future of this nation? The wrong direction of negative Socialism, that is a far cry from the edicts of the U.S. Constitution; such as an ever propagation of government interference in our daily lives, saturating free business  enterprise that built this country or a ever enveloping dark shadow of government entitlement programs. Shamefully, I must say that either the Democrats or Republicans are going to be the savior of all Americas ills, as either party owes favors to commercial entities, unions or the affluent. Until this country elections are not beholden to k street lobbyists and other entities, but only by public financing, nothing will change?

 

Washington is full of corruption and rotted to the core, except for a few idealistic politicians that have very little chance of turning the tables on the majority influence. November will be a paramount turning point in our nation’s history. We can follow either party’s agenda or alter our future, by voting into the Senate and House of Representatives TEA PARTY opponents. Under another four years of President Obama millions of illegal aliens already settled here will gain amnesty, while under MITT ROMNEY this may not happen. However, to stop bleeding billions of more dollars in adverse policies, the absorbed TEA PARTY leaders will have the voting influence in Congress to halt any new mass amnesties, no path to citizenship. Schools and education are one of the worst hit over the illegal alien invasion, diluting the state treasuries in 50 states of not millions, but hundreds of billions of dollars.

 

This is all because of unfunded mandates forcing taxpayers to finance schooling for every child of an illegal alien born here.  This is an absolute inequitable consequence of the misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment. I guess if the U.S. smarting taxpayer is benefiting a whole range of countries poverty, their corrupt governments our political parties; especially Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and all the incumbents seated firmly in their comfortable jobs as administrators of this country, do you really think they care?  Not one iota—but the rising ranks of the millions in the TEA PARTY ranks do care and will close this gaping hole in the law.  Good lord, they cannot even get the nearly 16 trillion dollar shock in the U.S. treasury under any kind of control, so they are certainly not going to cut off your money from illegal aliens who are legally stealing as much as they can?

 

In fact the Republicans backed strongly by TEA PARTY members assimilated into the GOP, will insist on passing the “LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT” bring to an abrupt end to businesses hiring illegal workers over citizens and green card holders. After passage the punishment will be harsh upon the culprit-fines, asset loss and even prison. Equal or even more so, is to stop the pregnant women who assume by entering America, that the gullible U.S. taxpayer will pay their hospital fees, education for their children and other programs unavailable to legal residents.  Sitting in inaction is the BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BILL that needs to be frantically pass as passage will only no longer permit children  to acquire citizenship, without one parent already a U.S. citizenship or attained citizenship through military service. As a political ploy in gaining extra votes, Obama mob have rescinded any need of citizenship to collect food stamps.  

davej.francis
davej.francis

 

 

Then we have disgusting consternation of the Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) voting down a bill of halting $5. Billion dollars being fraudulently appropriated from taxpayers, by the continuation of child tax reimbursement. Our hard earned money going through incompetence of the IRS and repeating this same situation for years as even going to fictitious children in other countries. Everything this government is applying is for political recognition in November; to accumulate more votes from legal and illegal registrations. This is an open house for uncompensated public assistance and a desperate need to undermine our elections. Obama’s Socialist agenda has caused massive disruptions in industry, the rising costs of oil, natural gas and taking away the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of coal miners. 

 

Even as I write this blog, the price of gasoline at the pump is rising, when this government should release their grasp on energy permits and allow unfettered drilling, discovery of new regions to search for our future needs. In this nation we have an abundance of petroleum to last us a hundred years or longer, so we do not need to be dictated to by foreign potentates or Obama’s environmental friends. Gas should be a $1.49 as it was under George Bush and not escalating in price during a desperate need to $4.29 and up? If you are expecting a different route under either party you are grossly mistaken, but when heavily influenced by the TEA PARTY, the Conservative TEA PARTY, then change to this country could be significant. Changes such as a fair and equitable tax code, not one that has been formulated just for the wealthy or other participants.  Everybody pays their fair share, including the “Freeloaders” who live like parasites off the host taxpayer.

 

No more compromise for people who steal into the United States, or slip right past Customs and Immigration at any entry port, including arriving on international flights posing as a tourist or other visitor. Entry into the U.S. has no real penalty as its been seen as a civil infraction, unlike countries as Mexico where it is a Felony and every person who flies in, or crosses from its Southern or Northern border is tracked. No wonder this country has an estimated 20 million plus over stays and illegal aliens, when once you are here there is no true prosecution, unless you have a criminal record.  No wonder when state, county and city management allow ordinances that consign the notorious label of Sanctuary cities and states as California, Nevada. It seems under Obama USICS service that these city policies have been allowed to thrive spreading nationwide, with little or no convictions of the officials who enacting these laws.  Even more outrageous is that the Illegal alien state of California, unfortunately may give drivers licenses to these unlawful residence. My God, with the death and destruction on the highways in California there now, with nearly every day a unlicensed, uninsured hit and run drunken driver foreigner traveling the roads, the Democratic majority in the Sacramento assembly should be taken outside and give a poison pill.  My relatives there told me the state is doomed, as its overrun with poverty from South of the fence and who are draining the coffers, with the compliments of the crazy governor Jerry Brown.  

 

THE PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID ANY MORE INACTION BY EITHER PARTY BY JOINING THE REVOLUTIONARY TEA PARTY. NO MORE QUID PRO QUO ( Emptying your pockets to pay somebody off) In conclusion, all American citizens and residents should absorb the evidence against President Obama as his Socialist-Marxist  consultants point our country towards a country of federal benefits, without having to work for a living but a dependence on government. This is fine for the “freeloaders” but not for honest people, who want to rise in their jobs and grasp the American dream for risk and hard work. Also learn and judge whether Obama is truly a U.S. citizen or a conspiracy of the far left? I offer no opinion except that I understand the consequences should this be true. I assume nothing, but leave it to your own decisions. Investigate it more at TEA PARTY DOT ORG.

inchemwetrust
inchemwetrust

@LAWeekly Driving While Brown Just Got Easier! #getpulledover

bajarat
bajarat like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Issuing breeder docs to invaders should be considered an act of domestic terrorism and high treason. Comrade O's edict is both illegal and unconstitutional, and the good Comrade should be in impeachment proceedings today for his deplorable attack on millions of unemployed Americans.

nowayjose
nowayjose like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @bajarat

 Treason?!?! Really treason? Your a little bit of a spaz right......

djromero
djromero moderator editortopcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @bajarat Love the term "invaders." Let's go back a little: To whom did this land once belong? Just curious. Historically, say, who would you say the biggest invaders were? And who took over the Americas with violence far more bloody than any barrio street gang? Just wondering ... I get you immigrant-haters' point about "the law" and all, but somehow the ethics of Locke didn't seem to apply when Europeans were taking over the Americas. Just saying.

swrsm400
swrsm400

 @djromero The "invaders" aren't coming here because it once was Mexico, they're coming here because it's not Mexico. Does Mexico give you free food and housing? No. Does Mexico have great buildings, technology, and infrastructure. No (and FYI traffic moved great on the "Day without a Mexican" because they weren't clogging up our roads). 

nowayjose
nowayjose

 @djromero

 Hoye tonto....Your ancestors whether south of or north of the American border are all Europeans (some African yeah I know, but that's not the focus of the rebuttal). If you are not 100% Native Indian, THEN YOUR ANCESTORS took lands! Whether it's Mexico, San Salvador, or anywhere else....wait for it....you stole land from the REAL NATIVE INDIANS! Mexicans aren't "native" to Mexico or Boyle Heights. Mexico stole this land just as well as America. Waaahhh you stole this land that my ancestors stole Waaahhhh.  Now you want to live within legal guidelines, and use the term "illegal" Waahhhh!

rked
rked

 @nowayjose

 Yo Dolt (aka LibTard)...Why don't You try staying current...Lets keep the Topic on THIS Century...Focus, Think....I know ALL those things Are difficult (Maybe Impossible) for a Liberal that runs soley on Emotion....But Try....Dust off ur Brain & try LOGIC.....idiot!!!

djromero
djromero moderator editortopcommenter

 @nowayjose You're a presumptive retard. Most Mexicans, like my father, are mestizos, a mix of native and European. My father is part Yaqui. Suck on that.

wigglwagon
wigglwagon like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @djromero   Since you are just saying, why didn't you say exactly what you mean instead of beating around the bush?  Are you  trying to say there should not be any immigration laws?

EnforceINSLaw
EnforceINSLaw

@ImmiLaw - Why am I not surprise, anything for the criminals who are here illegally as long as they vote for Democrats

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