Ill. law would allow undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses

CHICAGO Lawmakers in Illinois are proposing a new law that would allow undocumented immigrants to get state driver's licenses.

If passed, Illinois would become the third state in the U.S. to grant driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants -- a move top officials from both parties are pushing as a way to make roads safer and one that could have political implications for lawmakers seeking to court Hispanic voters.

Illinois Senate President John Cullerton said Tuesday that he believes he has the votes to get the measure through his chamber next week. Gov. Pat Quinn said he will sign it if it passes the House and makes it to his desk.

New Mexico and Washington are the only states in the U.S. to give driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Quinn and Cullerton, both Democrats, were joined at a news conference by several key Illinois officials, including former Gov. Jim Edgar and Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, both Republicans, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a fellow Democrat. All predicted bipartisan support.

The turnout showed the growing importance of Latinos and other immigrant groups. The bloc is credited with helping Democrats win big in Illinois and across the country on Election Day, and several top Republicans have said the GOP needs to change a perception their party is anti-immigrant if it is going to pick up seats in the next election.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, no legislation has been written yet. What is known is that the license would not be the same one given to legal Illinois residents. Talks about the new licenses revolve around an expansion of the temporary licenses for foreign visitors program run by the Illinois Secretary of State. That plan allows undocumented immigrants with proof of residency and a passport to get a three-year license that allows them to drive but is not a valid form of ID. They have to pass, written and road tests, as well as obtain auto insurance.

Supporters of the measure say Illinois has about 250,000 undocumented immigrant motorists who can't get a driver's license or insurance. Allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain a license would mean more of those drivers would have to pass road and written driving tests and vision tests, supporters say. Also, uninsured, unlicensed immigrant drivers are responsible for $64 million in insurance claims each year -- costs that are picked up by people with insurance.

"By passing this legislation, this is going to incredibly benefit all of us," Cullerton said.

Quinn called the bill "the continuation of a movement" to support immigrants in Illinois that also has included passing the DREAM Act, which made college more affordable for undocumented immigrants.

CBS station WBBM in Chicago reported that the notion of allowing undocumented immigrants to get a legal driver's license has been going around for 14 years, but for the first eight years, the proposal never made it out of committee.

Democrats proposed a similar bill in 2007 that passed the House but didn't get to a vote in the Senate. Although Democrats control the House and the Senate in Illinois, they don't all always vote together and measures generally need some GOP support to get through the General Assembly.

Edgar said he has been talking with Republican lawmakers, and he expects more of them to support the legislation this time around.

"I think Republicans now realize we need to change our image if we want to be a successful and a viable party in America," Edgar said. "It's important that we show these immigrants that we appreciate them being here, we appreciate what they contribute to our society and that we want to make it easier to contribute."

Lawrence Benito, chief executive officer for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said he believes the Nov. 6 election was a factor in the decision to introduce the bill next week, though it's "first and foremost" about safety.

"We're doing this for good public policy reasons. If there are good political reasons as well, that's great," Benito said.

Republican leaders of the House and Senate were notably absent from Tuesday's news conference.

However, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno said that was because she had a scheduling conflict. She said she supported the 2007 measure but wanted to wait to see the new proposal before backing it.

Vicki Crawford, spokeswoman for House Minority Leader Tom Cross, said she had not yet spoken with Cross about the bill.

Benito said supporters will be talking to Cross once the final bill is drafted.

The General Assembly will meet Tuesday for the start of the postelection veto session. The session concludes Jan. 9.

[thenewidea]

Illegal inmigration start 1492.

[kkk510]

I feel sorry for your ignorant and racist people, it must terrible having all that hate inside of you. God must have forgotten about you.

[ThatsRight7412]

I don't understand why people are so against immigrants getting legal papers or anything. This benefits everyone because for one the cost of insurance then paying gas & last now you have them better ID'd & know they aren't just some terrorist. Yeah the Mexicans that sell drugs & are in gangs should be deported because honestly they're ruining it for the rest of us..

[Housessmart]

The Social Security number has been around since November 1935, and that flimsy piece of paper hasn't changed in all that time. For years it's been used for identification by insurance companies, banks and so much more and never was meant for this reason. Over the last few decades and still surging identity theft, which remains an enigma, because Congress and its anemic policies have done nothing to change the structure? Identity theft encompassed annually hundreds of thousands of victims who must use their precious time trying to sort this fraudulent episode in their life? In most cases their credit is ruined just like mine, because some unprincipled person has managed to steal that archaic number. While away in hospital from my family-based business one of four temporarily graphic artists stole my personal identity after finding in my desk, some unsolicited credit card application, plus bank statements and other information. However, I was extremely lucky and my loss was only $4500 dollars, which could have been far worse, but even so I was hunted down by bill collectors. The tolerant influx of illegal aliens have also taken advantage of unknown numbers of American SSN, to attain jobs but also circumvented security to access welfare payments and a host of other citizen programs. With just a limited amount of personal data, they can apply for driving licenses, insurance and even steal people's equity in their home.

Especially hard hit are the elderly, who are not too quick on recognizing that their life saving or credit has been stolen. A whole new empire of companies has risen to safeguard our identities and our credit, but even that unfortunately it is limited. Newspaper headlines have been sweeping around us for years, claiming data bases being accessed by criminals and even banks and corporations. It is time for this government to take the initiative a make our social security numbers infallible, by simply adding an individual's thumbprint. MAY BE NO PICTUREIS NEEDED? The card would have a digital thumbprint that could be recognized almost immediately, as the actual person who carries that card? This electronic identity card would probably look like a regular bank card with embossed printed identity information including a social security number on the surface and an embedded microchip. That electronic chip would contain the fingerprint and even a retinal scan. The card would have to be attained by all U.S. citizens and legalized immigrants. In fact while we about it, instead of having the Social Security Administration oversee this problem, have an outside entity such as Visa or Master Card create it, just as the three main credit bureaus maintain our credit worthiness? This mechanism could also be used to check the authorization of all working Americans, real citizen voters instead of just the government E-Verify authorization..

[Housessmart]

Since there is so much controversy about the Homeland Security and Social Security database E-Verify, then why not contract large companies as Visa or Master Card to revisit E-Verify and re-engineer it, May be a commercial concern can do a better job than government and synchronize it, with the Social Security number? An ID card that can be slide through a digital machine, recognizing that person's thumbprint and carried by every American, could be applied in buying a car; a house and even detect unauthorized job seekers. Such a revolutionary innovation would cost several billion dollars to cover every entitled American and save unknown numbers of credit worthy people, but over time would save companies astronomical dollars in theft.. Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) passionately supports in adding a biometric identifier to the federal E-Verify employment eligibility approval system, which is initially setting the stage for the impending massive federal biometric operation. E-Verify that is also a section of "THE LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT" could use this system and prevent illegal workers from taking anymore American jobs.

Without more ado we must press Washington for an amendment to the 14th Amendment, which is a sound argument to stop pregnant females from illegally entering America, therefore claiming citizenship for a child. Not only do YOU pay for all the amenities of deliveries, but you pay for manufactured citizenship of a child and everything from then on is on; birthright or naturalized citizens are paying the bills and even Green Card Holders are not exempt?

We must prevent this from occurring anymore by adopting the "BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BILL" that both parties have ignored and refused to place this bill to be voted on the House chamber. It stops the accommodation of illegal alien females from their kids getting instantaneous citizenship, by making it mandatory that one parent must be a citizen. Well it's up to the American people now, whether to keep this insanity continuing and taxpayers covering the expenses for these children and demanding from the Congress a change in the law. These children given citizenship are a stepping stone for their parents, to collect even more welfare. The more children they conceive, the less chance it is for the parents to be deported. In fact the more children signify extra welfare payments and additionally a carefully planned access to free housing—government sponsored. We can fix this nonsensical law and the hundreds of billions of dollars, which should not be diverted from going to our own impoverished, homeless and sick. THESE ILLEGAL ALIENS COME HERE WITHOUT EVER PAYING TAXES, SOCIAL SECURITY, FICA OR OTHER FORM OF TAXES, OUR GOVERNMENT ALLOWS THEM TO STEAL OUR SAFETY-NET AND REAP THE BENEFITS.

If the taxpaying populace ever realized that the common denominator for the DREAM ACT AS IMPOSED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA, was because of the illicit original introduction into our country from wherever they came, were decades illegal children or the unborn smuggled into our country.

[pokey999999]

So do they have to go through driving school too? How will they make sure they have insurance and that they keep it paid up?? Just more dumbocrat voters in the future!!

[judymar14]

As if getting a drivers license will make them drive better. We have thousands upon thousands of criminals who have lost their license, isn't it against their human rights to give other criminals a license and not them? What about insurance? It will cost a pretty penny, how many will keep up the premiums? Unless Spanish is added to road signs, the illegals will say they didn't understand what it meant. Added to that, our premiums will go up using 'uninsurred drivers' for every other accident. All you Democrats, enjoy driving on the roads.

[ThatsRight7412]

For starters almost every single Mexican I know can read English, & if you are required to take a driving test all you have to do is remember the shapes, wording would have barley any effect. Yeah the signs that say the speed limit or construction have wording but anyone can know what the sign stands for. Why are you against Mexicans anyways? Do you not understand how much they do for this economy? I'd love to see you out there farming in 110 degree weather.

[kkk510]

Ignorant, what makes you think all illegals speak Spanish

[eroteme2]

Lo and Behold! The undocumented shall become documented. What else is new for today? Bright side, more Democrat voters!

[BigMykul]

How can someone be illegal and get a legal document legally?
This makes no sense. Unless they use it as a ruse to get the illegal scum in and then deport them.

[pokey999999]

There not gonna deport them, unless there bad criminals, no they are gonna give them registration cards to register to vote!!! What else?? Illegal or not. All the politicians are doing illegal stuff everyday so what is the difference?

[gr84u]

true if some crap red neck consume & never produce like you ...can be deported to the hell.

[sconsilio]

Has anyone seen Mexicans drive well? They suck at it! Too fast, very erratic, don't pay attention to other drivers and honestly, if this happens I will NEVER go to Illinois again! Ugh!