Drivers Licenses for illegal aliens

Issues

The open borders lobby routinely lobbies state legislatures to issue drivers licenses to illegal aliens as one of the keys to erasing the distinction between legal citizens and illegal aliens.

In the U.S., the drivers license is our de facto universal identification card. Yet many states do not thoroughly verify applicants' identities. Many states do not require a valid Social Security number to get a license and many will issue a state ID number for those without a Social Security number.

This makes it very easy for illegal aliens to obtain drivers licenses. These licenses become "breeder documents" which allow the recipient to obtain additional documents, based upon the false premise that he is a U.S. citizen. For example, all of the 9/11 hijackers had driver's licenses or state-issued non-driver's identification cards, which they then could use when opening bank accounts, renting housing, and boarding planes.

Eleven states issue drivers licenses to illegal aliens, including Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and West Virginia. In 2003, California's Governor Davis signed into law a bill that would give illegals drivers licenses. It is widely believed that this was the final act that contributed to his 2003 recall. Immediately after this law was signed, hundreds of thousands of signatures were collected that would have placed the question on the March 2004 general election ballot. Incoming Governor Schwarzenegger annulled the law, purportedly so that the electorate would not have a chance to vote on the issue.

One of the arguments in favor of issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens is that it will make our roads safer. This is not likely, as someone who has broken U.S. law to come here will most likely continue to break our laws - including traffic laws - and to drive without insurance and to obtain "breeder" licenses under false names.