Illegal Immigrants To Get CA Driver Licenses.

California on Friday will start taking driver's license applications from the nation's largest population of immigrants in the country illegally.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles expects 1.4 million people will seek a license in the first three years of a program aimed at boosting road safety and making immigrants' lives easier.

California officials say they can't predict how many people will line up immediately to apply, but the number of people making appointments for a license more than doubled when immigrants were allowed to sign up. Appointments are required to apply for a license except at four newly-created DMV offices.

California is one of 10 states that now provide licenses to immigrants in the country illegally. The licenses issued to immigrants without legal status will include a distinctive marking and are not considered a valid form of federal identification.

Immigrants in the country illegally have not been allowed to apply for a driver's license in California since the state began requiring proof of legal presence during the 1990s.

Immigrant advocates have cheered the licenses as a way to integrate immigrants who must drive to work and shuttle children to school. But critics have questioned state officials' ability to verify the identity of foreign applicants, citing security concerns.

Law enforcement officials say the program will improve road safety because licensed drivers must be tested and insured. A DMV study of 23 years of crash data found that unlicensed drivers were more likely to cause a fatal collision than licensed drivers.

State insurance officials hope the change will increase the number of drivers holding auto insurance, though some immigrants say they have always held insurance even though they could not get a license.

Maritza Aguirre, 30, is one of them. She used to take a two-hour bus trip to work cleaning houses in driving-dependent Southern California. Now, she drives but lacks a license and fears her car might be impounded if she is ever stopped by police.

"For me, honestly, it is a blessing," said Aguirre, who has an appointment this week to apply for a license. "The relief of knowing they won't take your car is a big advantage."

Advocates have encouraged immigrants to seek the license. But they are warning those with deportation orders or criminal records to first seek legal advice since law enforcement can access DMV data.

Applicants must submit proof of identity and state residency and pass written and road tests. Those who don't possess foreign government-issued identification on a list of approved documents can be interviewed by a DMV investigator to see if they qualify.

Starting on Friday, immigrants who pass the initial hurdles will get a driving permit. But they must return for a driving test before they can get the new licenses, which will be marked with the words "federal limits apply."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/immigrants-seek-california-driver-licenses-27956594

here's a tip...go home and get one.

I'm going to go to Mexico and try to get a driver's license see what happens.

One new years resolution fulfilled!

Congrats Fone!

How many serious posts till this is derailed into global warming causes illegal immigrants to seek driver's license... we shall see.

Now that illegal immigrants can drive legally the next thing you know they will start voting for the President illegally...oh wait !

This is one of the silliest things to be against with regard to immigrants. It doesn't change their illegal status. Just ensures drivers are familiar with laws and have insurance.

I don't think people are against the notion of having illegal immigrants having driver's licences per se, I think it's more of a security issue.

But to be honest, if somebody is out to do harm to the US, does having a driver's licence or not prevent them from doing what they were set out to do?

I just want to know, will the states start sharing driver licence information to the federal government, and will the federal government actually crack down on these immigrants (at least in terms of tax evasion)?

Well according to my research all illegal immigrants have insurance.

Seems like that would go against the point of the program and deter people from getting properly licensed.

Why is that? We aren't even sure if the states share this information to the federal government, and I'm almost certain that IRS doesn't check databases for tax fraud or evasion. Even the FBAR filings have become pointless, and that's what these filings are intended to do!

That's not to say that they won't be added to a watchlist.

I mean that if the states start sharing information for the purpose of digging dirt specifically on illegals, then they'd be more likely to avoid the process altogether.

Illegals aren't so bad. Just make them wear colored bracelets and put signs in front of your establishments that read "no colored people".

I've been waiting for someone to make a thread about this. I would have but for some reason when I make a thread anarchy ensues.

Nobody else finds it wrong that every single article on this calls them just plain immigrants.. I've seen them called illegal immigrants maybe a handful of times throughout multiple articles. Which brings me to my point.. Why are illegal immigrants able to get legal drivers licenses.? I don't wanna hear "its gonna make the roads safer" that is a load of B.S..

Not to mention the millions of dollars and opening more DMVs just to accommodate Illegal immigrants. We cannot get our government to do that for its own citizens! Its insanity sanctioned by the liberals in California.

its all about money

That is what I don't go to tanning beds...I need to be pasty and white. Like my forefathers.

According to CA once they are in the US they are no longer illegal !

Who cares now when some jackass from another planet hits my car he might have insurance I see nothing but improvement

Well, since you're *** moron, it's not surprising that the bone-stupid logical explanation would fail to appease you.

Here's a nice conspiratorial explanation that should suit your reflex xenophobia: it'll let the government more easily track all those filthy illegals so they can round them up and load them into a cannon that shoots them into the Sun. Or, hey, by getting them into the system, maybe we can a.) drag them kicking and screaming into citizenship or b.) keep track of how much they're trying to leach from us and eventually present the bill or its equivalent in incarceration. I'm assuming you're in favor of locking up anyone who looks at you funny, much less who breaks the law.

I'm not for illegal immigration however shooting people from a cannon into the Sun sounds intriguing.

First up Seth Rogen.

Side bar: not all illegal immigrants are filthy just those that like to mud wrestle.

I've gotten 3 threads nuked or locked in the past 2 days for MUCH less than what you just posted. But hey I'm the irrational one that insults everybody that doesn't hold my views and cannot have an adult conversation right?

Agreed. Call it pre-emptive securitizing against the next North Korean incursion.

And Altima, you've done a lot worse. Unlike with Kingnobody, though, I'm convinced you're incapable of self-awareness, so of course you imagine you're some blameless victim. You have apparently convinced yourself that the way people react to you is some unique feature of this site because you've edited your memory of being drummed out of every place where your nonsense would be relevant.

Tell me, though, why do you think that it's *** to want illegals (who repeatedly sneak back in, anyhow) to know how to drive according to US law? Considering US drivers are some of the best on the planet (depressingly), it seems a laudable goal to want these guys to know what the hell they're doing. As someone who works in a field that regularly brings me into contact with both legal and illegal immigrants from Mexico and several other Latin American countries, I assure you they need the instruction because they're somewhere between brain-dead and suicidal when it comes to ANY safety precautions, much less when operating 2000 lbs. of crushing death on the highways of the nation.

I have a solution the only way to stop illegal immigration is with...wait for it... more illegal immigrants !

It's just like gun violence only way to stop it is with more gun violence.

Well they have been driving illegally for a while so I guess this doesn't change too much.

I've had the misfortune of dealing with uninsured drivers that were legal citizens.

This is the only reason.

Said every stripper I ever met ! Actually they are quite good debaters on illegal immigrations if you give them enough money...

I'm sure Obama will wait till he is about to leave office to force through a immigration reform and say "There I did it can I be put on Mount Rushmore now ? "

No, you got blamed for getting 3 threads nuked and/or locked in the past 2 days for much less than what Onorgul posted.

Others (generally the same 2-3 people) contribute just as much or more *** than you do.

I look forward to nothing happening on illegal immigration then it being passed on to the next President Hillary.

Oh, now you are just flinging insults at us!

Please, show me one post where I called anyone anything remotely close to a *** moron.. After you fail do do that, please feel free to point out a post where i put words into peoples mouth and accuse them of things I have no evidence for. When you're done failing at that maybe you will realize that I am not the one that has the problem with self-awareness.

As for the Illegal immigrants. You just complained about deporting them and they just keep coming back.. Umm.. lol.. Why the hell wouldn't they? They can now drive legally, get free healthcare and food and if the get caught the worst thing that can happen is they get deported and have to cross the border again..

Also, you seem to be under the impression I dislike immigrants. To the contrary, come here legally and I'd be one of the first in line to shake their hand and welcome them to the country as an American citizen.