Illegal Aliens Getting Driver's Licenses in California

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Ok, I guess I should be politically correct in my title, it should read "Undocumented Immigrants Obtaining Driver's Licenses in California"
Yep, the bill passed our state's assembly today and Gov Davis is expected to sign the bill.

So, what is everyone's thoughts on this?

 

It's probably a trap, if someone admits to being an illegal immigrant then they get the license but onsite police will soon be escorting them off the premises.

 

Actually not. I remember hearing that the workers at the DMV (department of motor vehicles) are actually prohibited by law for turning people in and their information is actually confidential.

 

I have a great solution.

If they have to get a taxpayer identification number in order to drive, then the license should be dependent on them paying taxes. Of course what are the chances that an illegal alien is going to pay taxes

 

Anyone else think Governor Davis is trying to screw himself?

Seriously, I don't live in California, so I don't really care, but I don't really have a problem with this. If they can't work, then they can't afford to buy a car anyway, so they won't be using their driver's license anytime soon.

 

as a californian, i can tell you that "undocumented immigrants" have been getting drivers licences for years. i don't know about DMV not being able to turn you in, in fact they're tied in very close to the court system here. however, the applications at dmv make it very easy to lie and get away with it.

the state is very lienient on immigrants, so i don't think it's some kind of a trap.

maybe they feel that by making it legal for illegal people to drive they'll make more money, since more of them will apply.

(legal for illegal people)

 

If they are in the country illegally, they should get NOTHING from the taxpayers of the country, they should not be allowed to be part of the society. And I am not heartless here -- I'm all for allowing hardworking refugees into the country -- inder the rules that have been set down. There are probably millions of similarly decent, hardworking people waiting for their visas -- their tales of woe are just as heartrending as those of the illegals, yet they follow the rules. Rule breakers should not be rewarded for such.

 

Hm, some background info about California would be nice. It seems to me, that they have de-facto nothing against the presence of those illegal-aliens. And it seems to me just a pragmatic measure to make traffic on the streets safer.

Going on from the point of Depaara. Could it be that they are illegal aliens according to federal law, but the federal law in case is not much appreciated in California, so the merely ignore it ?

 

No. Lots of Cali has lots of problems with illegal aliens. I don't know anything about this but I'm certain it has nothing to do with making the streets safer and probably something to do with trying to influence the critical latino vote.

No. Plenty of anti-immigration type state wide or local laws have come to a vote in Cali.

I'd also add in response to Rastor that pretty much every illegal immigrant works. They are often paid under the table though for basically nothing however. And at Snook, the illegal immigrants do pay taxes - sales taxes are a regressive tax. Also, most illegal aliens probably wouldn't pay any income taxes anyways and would possibly receive more back then they paid in if they were on the income tax rolls. So, they are typically paying more into the system than the average legal American who is similarly situated without receiving the same level of benefits.

I rather admire most of the illegal aliens I've known. One of those I most admire is Gustavo who works construction and on the docks and sends almost all of his money home to his mother and siblings. He lives under a bridge in Seattle. I don't begrudge Gustavo anything.

 

Laches, I think you are right about getting more and more of the Latino vote. If Davis signs the bill, he looks good in the eyes of Latino voters, who may come out to help him in the recall. So does Bustemonte (sp?). The problem here also, is that it will make it easy for illegal immigrants to purchase guns.
All I have to do is call the IRS, say I want a taxpayer ID#, I can call myself, Carlos Whateverlante. I get my number. THis can be done on paper very easily, just give an address and say I don't have a social secuity number. Then I take my number from the IRS and go get a driver's license from the DMV. Then I take my license to buy a gun. They run a background check on my DL#, which has a clean slate, and wholla! I now have a gun! That simple.
So now the main problem here is whether the California DL is now a valid form of identification? Colorado already has on the books a law that will not recognize the CA DL as a valid id if Davis signs the bill. The FAA and Office of Homeland Security are already talking about whether we can use our DLs to board planes.
Oh, and once someone has a driver's license, it will be so easy register to vote.
Is anyone else seeing the lawsuits after the recall election?

 

Hm, a law to gain and please voters shortly before voting, yeah, that seems to be a good reason for a law.

But if they already tried to get this law-change through two times before, then obviously some people think there's a practical benefit in this law.

 

I'm not really sure why it is more dangerous for an immigrant to buy a gun than someone else. Unless you're supposing that illegal immigrants also are violent criminals. But if you are assuming that then it shouldn't matter whether they can use the license to buy the gun since most violent criminals don't buy their guns legally anyways. Or maybe you're supposing since illegal immigrants tend to be poor they will use the guns violently but I'm not sure how that would make them more dangerous than other poor people.

I just can't stir much concern over poor people or immigrants now being able to spend a large amount of money on guns from a store when guns are available on the cheap at the local street corner and I doubt they require a license : )

For Yago, just because similar laws have been submitted before doesn't mean that others see it as being a practical safety measure. It just means someone saw it as politically expedient in the past as well.

[ September 06, 2003, 07:31: Message edited by: Laches ]

 

I think the concern goes farther than just illegal immigrants coming here and purchasing a gun. What's to stop anybody? You can come to CA and get a driver's license without much previous identification. You can then use it to purchase a gun.
There is also a major concern with this and illegals coming over the border into CA to purchase firearms. You can buy certain types of weapons you can't purchase in Mexico. Sure there is a black market for them, but now that you can come into CA and do it "legally" or rather with the appearance of doing it "legally" its a lot cheaper and easier than going through the black market.
Also, on a rather funny note regarding this whole thing. Gov. Gray Davis signed the bill today. Funny thing is that his office did not notify any English speaking news media, newspapers and so on. They only notified the Spanish speaking papers and media. The signing was taking place at a DMV in a really bad part and mostly hispanic part of Los Angeles as well. Hmmmmm? And they're claiming this isn't to get the Latino vote.