Response to Daily Breeze Editorial on Licensing Illegal Immigrants

The State legislature of California must not even consider discussing the remote possibility of allowing illegal (or more discreetly "undocumented") immigrants to earn driver's licenses.

Despite the passage of licensure laws for undocumented persons in ten states, eight of those states have repealed their laws, with New Mexico close behind to do the same.

Aside from the immorality of enabling lawbreakers to gain access to a privilege which takes naturalized or born citizens years to earn and maintain, our federal immigration laws already resist passage of such a law. How can we presume to press upon counties and local communities the responsibility of issuing and following up on the distribution of driver's licenses? The federal and state governments must protect the rights of the citizens and protect our borders. We have no right or reason to pursue "social justice" for illegal immigrants by compromising the safety and integrity or our roads.

Some have argued that allowing illegals to qualify for licenses will ensure that a greater number of drivers on the road would be properly instructed for transportation and commuting. Moreover, permitting illegals to earn licenses would furnish them the opportunity to purchase auto insurance and minimize the cost of accidents on the road between legal and illegal drivers.

Yet these fanciful suppositions ignore the facts: illegal immigrants have already broken the law by entering this country without a visa or a green card. Who cares if they can read traffic signs, when they cannot read legal agreements, seek proper employment, or sue in court in case of legal grievances, like lawsuits which may ensure from disputed traffic accidents? If illegal immigrants have already flagrantly flouted our laws once, there is no respectable reason for supposing that the same individuals will suddenly respect the rules of the road and seek out licenses and auto insurance. Besides, the state of California will only be permitting illegal residents from other countries to obtain licenses, then return to their homes in other states, where the "full faith and credit clause" of the Constitution will force these states to accommodate those ill-gotten licenses.

Eight states have already repealed such disastrous legislation. With our legislature still failing to pass an adequate budget that protects schools and preserves core services, the politicians in Sacramento must disregard the pro-immigrant euphoria to accommodate illegal immigration at the risk of our commuters, the taxpayers, and the integrity of the rule of law in the state of California.