New license laws draw praise, concern

Illegal immigration foes back changes; employers worry about losing workers

THELMA GUERRERO-HUSTON
Statesman Journal

January 28, 2008

In just more than a week, people seeking to replace or renew an Oregon driver's license or apply for a new one will have to produce a verifiable Social Security number, in addition to showing proof of their identity and an Oregon address.

At the same time, state lawmakers will convene in Salem for an interim legislative session, where they are expected to take up a flurry of bills, including driver's license legislation that, if approved, would require proof that a person is living here legally.

The new rules and proposed laws have generated:


Praise from illegal immigration opponents who decry any form of driving privileges for people who cannot prove they are in the country legally.


Concern from employers with large immigrant work forces, including the state's agricultural, construction and hospitality industries.

"Each one of those industries has a large segment of its revenue generated on the shoulders of many workers who are undocumented," said Rich Meneghello, an attorney with Fisher & Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm with an office in Portland that represents some of those industries.

Denying the undocumented driving privileges could mean the depletion of thousands of unauthorized workers from the state, which could lead to a labor crunch, especially for the agricultural industry, he said.

"It's very difficult to find agricultural employers that are on mass transit lines," Meneghello said.

The loss of these workers eventually could cause a ripple in the state's economy, he said.

"That's nonsense," said Mike Forest, the director of the Oregon Minuteman Patriots Border Alliance in Salem.

"These people aren't supposed to be here to begin with," Forest said. "Anybody who comes here illegally, whether they come from Ireland or wherever, should not get a driver's license because they're not here legally."

Jesus Castro, 21, an authorized farmworker from Nicaragua who lives in Salem, said he's not going to spend too much time worrying about the driver's license issue.

"A number of us already started making plans to carpool to our jobs," Castro said. "I know people think we're going to stop driving or leave the state, but I don't believe that will happen."

Estimates of Oregon's unauthorized population vary.

The Mexican Consulate in Portland previously has said the figure is about 75,000.

In 2005, the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C., estimated Oregon's undocumented immigrant population at between 125,000 and 175,000. The data are based on the Center's tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey.

Also in 2005, the Oregon Employment Department said between 70,000 and 88,000 unauthorized immigrants were working or looking for work in the state's labor force.

Of those, between 63,000 and 83,000 likely were employed, the OED said.

Because current state law does not require Oregon's Driver and Motor Vehicles Services Division to ask for citizenship status, DMV officials say it is not known how many unauthorized immigrant have driver licenses.

Getting an Oregon driver's license

The following steps outline the process for obtaining an Oregon driver's license for people ages 16 or older or permit for those age 15. Beginning Feb. 4, the documents required to show proof of identity and date of birth will change slightly.

If you're an Oregon resident getting a permit or first-time driver's license:

1. Bring proof of identity and date of birth:
Before Feb. 4: Two primary documents, such as a U.S., Canadian or U.S. Territorial government-issued birth certificate and a valid U.S. passport, U.S. military documents or immigrant visa issued by the U.S. Department of State; or one primary document such as a U.S. birth certificate, and two secondary documents such as a valid U.S. or foreign passport and a U.S. Department of Homeland Security document.
After Feb. 4: A verifiable Social Security number and at least one other document such as a current driver's license, learner's permit, U.S. passport or birth certificate.

2. Bring proof of an Oregon address:
Acceptable documents include mortgage papers issued in recent year; utility hook-up work order; or credit card bill, which must contain actual statement, not just the envelope.

3. Pass the knowledge and vision tests:
Pay $5 fee for knowledge test for first-time driver's license
Pass knowledge test, based on the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services driving manual
Pass vision screening (no fee required)

4. Pass the driving test:
Must make appointment with DMV by phone.
Pay $9 fee for permit or driver's license driving test.
Pass driving test in passenger vehicle; must have proof of insurance.

5. Pay fees:
Permit/license/renewal fees:
Pay $18 fee for first-time instruction permit application. Permit valid for two years.
Pay $54.50 fee for first-time driver's license. License valid for eight years.

If you're an Oregon resident renewing your oregon driver's license:
1. Bring license and be prepared to tell them your Social Security number.
2. Pay $34.50 fee for license renewal, which is valid for eight years.

If you're moving to oregon, with a valid out-of-state driver's license:
1. Bring proof of identity and date of birth using valid out-of-state driver's license.
2. Pay knowledge test fee of $5.
3. Pass the knowledge and vision tests.
4. Pay driver's license fee of $54.50.

NOTE: No driving test needed, must surrender out-of-state driver's license. (If you do not have a valid out-of-state driver's license, you will need to go through the first-time driver's license documentation process above.)

SOURCE: Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division

tguerrero-huston@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6815
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