More than 1,000 young immigrants get Nebraska driver’s licenses

By Deena Winter / July 29, 2015 / 1 Comment

By Deena Winter | Nebraska Watchdog

More than 1,000 children of undocumented immigrants have gotten driver’s licenses in Nebraska since that state ended its holdout two months ago.


Nebraska Watchdog

PROTEST: Shirley Paulsen of Silver Creek, Neb., protests amnesty for illegal immigrants along Interstate 80 near Grand Island, Neb., last year.

In May, lawmakers overrode the governor and passed a law allowing undocumented immigrants to drive legally. Since then, 1,174 have gotten licenses, according to Rhonda Lahm, director of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Before the bill passed, the DMV estimated 2,300 young adult immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children would be eligible to get licenses. These immigrants are granted lawful status in the U.S. through a federal program — the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The Immigration Policy Institute estimates 3,000 people in Nebraska younger than 15 are eligible for DACA, and 2,000 people 15 or older who are eligible, except for meeting education requirements.

The 1,174 licenses issued to DACA immigrants is out of a total 84,685 driver’s licenses issued since May 29, Lahm said.

Elsewhere around the country, typically about half the eligible immigrants apply for licenses the first year, according to the institute.

The institute estimated fewer than 150 people would apply for licenses each year after the initial year.

The Nebraska bill’s fiscal note estimated the law would generate nearly $32,000 in additional funds for the DMV, if 2,300 people obtained the licenses. Lahm said the fiscal impact has been difficult to quantify, because personnel costs weren’t estimated and some people come in multiple times to try to pass the test.

“The more individuals who process the more people it takes to do it,” she said.

Lawmakers expected a one-time impact; an influx of people would apply licenses and then things would even out.

Lahm said during the first couple of weeks after the law passed the DMV was issuing 60 to 75 DACA licenses per day.

Nebraska was the last state to grant licenses to DACA immigrants.

Former Gov. Dave Heineman ordered DMV officials to deny such licenses after President Obama implemented the DACA program in 2012.

http://townhall.com/watchdog/nebrask...grants-2-n8092