Democrats in California are pushing forth a bill to grant illegal immigrants and those who don’t have a Social Security number the ability to obtain driver’s licenses.
The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Luis Alejo, requires that illegals pass a road test. But it grants driver applicants the right to present a range of other identifying documents, in lieu of Social Security numbers, The Associated Press reported.
“This is a good public policy to allow immigrant families across California to be able to take the exam, learn the rules of the road, learn our safe traffic laws, pass the driving exam,” Mr. Alejo said, in the AP report.
The new law could open the doors to an estimated 2 million in California who are now ineligible to get licenses or state identification cards, AP reported. And Republicans aren’t happy.
“It is a federal document accepted by federal standards to be identification for other means besides driving,” said Assemblyman Curt Hagman, in the AP report. “It is your security document.”
The Assembly approved the bill 53-20, and now the Senate takes it up.
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• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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