PHOENIX (AP) - A newly elected Arizona state representative says he’s drafting legislation to add a “non-citizen” designation on driver’s licenses issued to young immigrants participating in an Obama administration program enabling them to avoid deportation.
Rep.-elect Jay Lawrence, R-Scottsdale, said he wants to protect the integrity of the voting system, while Democratic state Rep. Catherine Miranda, D-Phoenix, said Lawrence’s proposal spells trouble for Arizona in the wake of past controversy over a 2010 immigration-enforcement law.
Arizona was one of the last states in the country to issue licenses to so-called “Dreamers” - young immigrants brought into the U.S. illegally as children but now allowed to remain under a 2012 program.
Republican Gov. Jan Brewer waged a lengthy legal battle to restrict licenses, but a recent court ruling cleared the way for participating immigrants to begin applying for licenses on Dec. 23.
An estimated 20,000 immigrants could be eligible for driver’s licenses in Arizona. They need to pass written and behind-the-wheel tests.
Lawrence, who takes office on Jan. 12 when the Legislature’s 2015 regular session begins, said he’s having legislation drafted to propose the “non-citizen” labeling.
He declined to discuss his proposal in detail before then, but said in a statement that his concern is protecting “the integrity of our voting system and maintaining border security,” the Arizona Capitol Times (https://goo.gl/hU4iBO ) reported.
Arizona requires voters casting ballots at polling places to show identification. Driver’s licenses are one of several types of the documents that Arizona voters can use for that purpose.
Miranda, who becomes a state senator in January, called Lawrence’s proposal “another SB1070 waiting to happen,” a reference to the 2010 legislation that prompted lawsuits and boycotts.
She said consideration of the license proposal could damage Arizona’s reputation, harm its improved relations with Mexico and hamper efforts to help the state’s economy recover from the Great Recession.
Miranda said she spoke with Lawrence about her concern.
“I reminded him of what Arizona has gone through the past couple of years,” she said.
Lawrence said it was premature for Miranda to criticize legislation that hasn’t been formally introduced.
Miranda said she plans to draw as much attention to Lawrence’s proposal in an effort to kill it as soon as possible.
“I want to nip it in the bud now,” she told KTVK-TV (https://goo.gl/FOTo9a ).
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