A California Republican

Sen. Cedillo, of the California State Senate, had his favorite bill passed again. Every year he has carried a bill that would allow illegal immigrants to receive driver’s licences. This year it is SB 60, Every year the Governor declines to sign it.

Sen. Cedillo says that allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses would require that they have standard training and understanding about driving, and that this would protect everyone on the road. He also claims that it would bring California in line with the Real ID Act of 2005, from the federal government. That Act says that a state may issue a license to people who cannot prove they are legally in the state, but that the license would have to be different colors, state that the person isn’t here legally, and would not be accepted as proof of identification to enter federal buildings, board planes, or other things. In fact, the issuing of such a license would identify the person as being in the U.S. illegally.

However, the comments from those who oppose the bill is that it would reward people who are breaking the law in the first place. They broke the law to come here illegally, and so to reward them with a chance to legally drive would be ridiculous. Another argument is that the cost would be unaffordable in relation to today’s fiscal situation. Additionally, the fact that illegals could gain licenses doesn’t mean that they would. Simply allowing them to, doesn’t mean that they will.

The DMV says it would cost multi-millions of dollars to implement this bill, but that it would also bring in revenue from the licenses. However, if illegal immigrants cannot afford to pay for other things, what makes anyone think they will pay for a license? Especially when it is a special license that would mark them as illegal? They wouldn’t.

However, in a twist of fate, this is one of the very few times that the ACLU and Republicans have believed in the same thing. The ACLU doesn’t support this bill either.