Thread: New Oregon license rules dramatically decrease demand

New Oregon license rules dramatically decrease demand

A law passed in February requires Oregon driver's license applicants to present a verifiable Social Security number before their application can be considered. As of July, applicants for driver's licenses were also required to show proof of citizenship.

Since the ID rules went into effect, the number of license applicants asking to take the written knowledge test in Spanish has dramatically declined. David House of the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles says that many of the would-be drivers cannot provide a valid Social Security number or valid proof of citizenship, so they don't apply for a license or a renewal.

There are now 65% fewer Spanish-speaking applicants than there were before the ID verifications went into effect, he noted.

Previous federal immigration investigations have uncovered large-scale, illegal businesses involved in the manufacture or theft of Social Security cards. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid of a Portland, Oregon manufacturing company turned up numerous stolen ID's. But the new driver's license requirements demand more than a Social Security card. They also require some sort of official U.S. document like a passport, a birth certificate or immigration papers, which are much less common, and more expensive, in the forgery business.

http://bordercontrol.blogspot.com/2008/ ... cally.html

There is another story posted on that subject in the last few days as well.

Overall, the reports appear to be accurate. And, please do keep in mind that not only was OR DMV issuing licenses to IA OR residents, but also, to just about any person that could find their way here to take the test (which are given in languages other than English, of course ) Accordingly, we were becoming a magnet for people all over the west that wanted to get official IDs that had no justification to do so AND have helped to increase all sorts of document fraud, ID Theft (well above nat'l average, BTW), etc. etc.

Are you seeing any changes in the State PhredE, major or minor?

Hey Bulldogger - well, here's the micro-encapsulated and oversimplified answer... [Preface - be careful what you ask for, I decided to offer an answer!]

Yes and No.

Yes, in terms of the overall visibility of people that are likely to be illegal (yes, using my own subjective judgment, largely based upon one's ability to speak the language, but also by the skill and function level of people in jobs, navigating basic aspects of society/culture/etc...). For example, there has been a marked decrease in persons that are non-functional or borderline functional in English in the restaurant services - at least those that are publicly visible. Similarly, I have noticed a shift in landscaping - to a degree - as well. A big variable or determinant is the particular employer and how they have either tried to shield (or not) the employees that work for them.
(I could offer more detailed empirical evidence, but will omit such thing to keep my personal info as vague and general as possible).
My hunch is that companies employing illegals have simply tried to go farther 'underground' with the fact; keeping them out of public-facing jobs to a large degree and offer the guise that they are staying in conformity with the law. Others.... not so much however.

"No", in that many of the large apartment complexes which are known to rent to IAs (inside info from local law enforcement personnel...) are largely unchanged. Similarly, the schools also appear to have unchanged demographic representation as well.

I guess, it's almost an 'unknowable' quantity really, But, reconciling all the info I have available to me at this point in time, I'd say that Camarota's estimate of about 8%-10% reduction overall seems plausible and maybe even likely.

Please do keep in mind, that the population of IAs in my area are comprised, yes, of course with those 'south of the border/primarily Spanish -speaking [eg. of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, etc], but also have many folks from Vietnam, Russia (and other former Soviet Republics), China, India, Pakistan, Korea, etc. - in short, it's a fairly diverse mix.

Update: Oops, to specifically address the issue of IAs and driving/the DMV.
Haven't had a reason to go there in person lately but... I have nephews coming of driving age and have been in/out of the local DMV several times lately. They told me that things have changed NOTICEABLY from before.
Also, I have seen small side-bar news stories run in the local media how 'older drivers' are being inconvenienced and putting them on notice to be sure to bring their certified birth certificates, passports, etc. to them when renewing their DLs. Overall, that's about it. IMHO, so far... so good.
No disasters have occurred. The apocalypse hasn't happened. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

In North Carolina before the new rule of law the DMV was always packed wall to wall with illegal foreigners.

But is has changed now, and believe me it is so nice