Thread: Is Arizona headed for another legal showdown?

CREATED Sep. 24, 2012
Reporter: Valerie Cavazos
KGUN9

Immigration attorneys say "Dreamers" shouldn't be denied driver's licenses

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Is Arizona headed for another legal showdown? Immigration advocates are upset that the new "Dreamers" are being denied driver's licenses.

Thousands of undocument immigrants are allowed to receive temporary residency under President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. But the state says they don't have the right to receive public benefits.

Carlos Martinez Baldenegro -- a new Dreamer -- is allowed to live and work temporarily in Tucson and he has the Employment Authorization Document that grants him that right. But if he tries to fill out the form to get a driver's licence to drive to a job, he won't get far because the form states the federal document is not acceptable.

Martinez said, "It's not going to stop me. If this states doesn't want me to work here. There are other states that will allow me to reach my goals, you know."

So why can't he get a driver's license here in Arizona? KGUN9 reporter Valerie Cavazos called the Governor office to find out. The Governor's spokesman, Matthew Benson, said, "The federal government itself has said the individuals do not have legal status. They don't have authorized presence. They are not entitled to any specific benefits."

He's right that dreamers don't have lawful status. It clearly says so on the Department of Homeland Security's website. It states, "Deferred action does not provide an individual with lawful status."

However, some immigration attorneys, like John Messing of Messing Law Offices, told KGUN9 that the dreamers do have authorized stay. "Legally from everything I've heard people who are in a period of stay authorized by the federal government, such as the deferred action, should be entitled to driver's licenses just by plugging AZ law into the federal scheme which it's designed to do."

And now it looks like immigration advocates and the state are getting ready for another legal showdown.

Messing: "I think from everything I'm hearing we can expect a major lawsuit over this because it's important for them to drive."

Benson: "The governor is very confident that the state laws are clear. If that's the path they want to go, so be it."

Is Arizona headed for another legal showdown? - KGUN9.com

how the hell can they get a DR Lic . they can not read English? I happy Az going to have another show down
it show that Gov jan & The American are not going to stand by any more & let this go on we are sick of all the bS
No amnesty Or Dream act

"Immigration advocates are upset that the new "Dreamers" are being denied driver's licenses."
When are they not upset? These people will not stop until the illegals get a full amnesty. They are relentless. I am sick to death of all the privileges these kids have recieved and yet they are never ever satisfied. They will fight for a full amnesty for themselves then for their parents, aunts and uncles and the guy next door.

We are told that the illegal population is the hardest working group of people in the US. We have a huge obesity problem in this country. Bike riding, running and walking isn't that hard of work when you're under 35. It will help trim them down plus it will make their carbon footprint smaller. Then they can gloat about how much fitter and trimmer they are than the rest of the US population. They think they are better than us anyway so my advice is for the illegals to prove it! Oh and illegals Michelle Obama will be so proud of you-you'll fit right into her agenda.