Becky Yeh - California correspondent (OneNewsNow.com) Wednesday, February 05, 2014
An advocate for legal immigration says California's new law providing driver's licenses for illegal immigrants will make the state a magnet for illegal behavior.
California officials are concerned that a new law offering driver's licenses to illegal immigrants in the state would make it difficult for documentation.
During a Department of Motor Vehicles hearing, the California Latino Legislative Caucus pressured the DMV to quickly develop regulations and accept applications for licenses. Speakers also urged the DMV to accept a variety of documentation including utility bills, union ID cards and baptismal certificates.
"It's a very big disappointment to us that our most populous state in America is aiding and abetting illegal immigrants, which is a violation of federal law," says William Gheen, president of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, or ALIPAC. The legislation's author considered shelving the law amid concerns that the law would expose immigrants to deportation and discrimination. Under federal law, driver's licenses for illegal immigrants must contain a feature that distinguishes them from regular driver's licenses.
"It's going to create an incentive for other states to follow their lead," suggests Gheen. "You can use your driver's license to open banks, rent homes and conduct other business in every state."
An analysis reported that providing licenses to illegals could cost the state roughly $140 million to $200 million over three years.
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