An issue of road safety

Providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants is not about immigration policy, but about road safety. Issuing this document does not legalize someone’s residency. It is proof that those who are driving have fulfilled all the requirements to be able to drive, like the rest of California’s drivers.

This argument, which has been endlessly repeated, helped move forward AB 60, a bill introduced by Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) that would allow the undocumented to obtain driver’s licenses.

The measure basically allows people who lack a Social Security number to use other documents, like a birth certificate and proof of residency. The bill passed the Assembly last week and is now on its way to the Senate.

Some of the bill’s critics say it is better to wait for an immigration reform before doing anything. However, this line of reasoning mixes immigration and road safety.

In both cases, we think it is necessary to act quickly, but there is no reason why waiting for one should delay implementation of the other. The peace of mind of having all drivers on California’s roads licensed to drive—with all this implies—should not depend on what happens in the U.S. Congress.

On the other hand, AB 60 is the logical extension of a law passed last year to allow beneficiaries of deferred deportation to obtain driver’s licenses.

There are four U.S. states—Illinois, New Mexico, Utah and Washington—that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. It is time for California to become the fifth.