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Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, right, is congratulated by Senators Ron Calderon, D-Monterey Park, second from right, Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, third from right, and Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, left, after the Senate approved his measure to allow illegal immigrants in California to get state driver’s licenses, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 29 2012.
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012 | 3:59 p.m.
FRESNO, Calif. — When 17-year-old Alondra Esquivel needs to get from her rural central California home to classes at Fresno State University 20 miles away, she must rely on rides from her relatives or her boyfriend.
Most Californians her age can drive. But Esquivel, a college freshman, was brought illegally to the United States from Mexico when she was 7. And California has denied driving privileges to immigrants lacking legal status since 1993.
"Without a license ... I have to depend on others to do the basic things," said Esquivel, who lives in rural Parlier, Calif., has classes at the college four times a week in Fresno. "It's a big inconvenience."
But Esquivel soon could get driving privileges: She is one of an estimated million eligible for a new federal program that temporarily defers deportation and grants work permits to people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. California has the largest number of potential applicants.
The new immigration policy has brought to the forefront the long-running and bitter debate over whether illegal immigrants should have access to driver's licenses. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that each state could determine whether to issue licenses or extend other benefits to young immigrants who qualify for the deferred status.
Some states, such as Oregon and Georgia, have announced that they will grant driving privileges to those eligible for the new program. Others, such as Arizona and Mississippi, have vowed to deny them.
California legislators this month approved a bill that would allow an estimated 450,000 eligible young immigrants in the state to use the federal work permits at the Department of Motor Vehicles as proof of lawful presence in the country. The bill is now headed to the governor.
For young people like Esquivel, foreign-born but steeped in America's language and lifestyles, the single administrative policy at the federal level, coupled with a state decision, could spell a life-changing moment — transforming school and work opportunities, daily nuisances and even social lives.
In California, where the automobile is king and car-culture dominates, the change could be most profound. Nearly inaccessible without a car, the state is famous for its freeways, streets lacking sidewalks and spotty or nonexistent public transportation. Driving is more than a practical necessity for Californians: it's a birthright.
Illegal immigrants in California who can't drive face a long series of daily inconveniences and calculated risks. Some drive without a license, unable to find another way to get to work or school. Others depend on family, friends and co-workers for rides.
It's especially hard on young people like Esquivel, who was raised in the U.S., but has had to miss out on the quintessential American rite of passage. She got top grades at Parlier High School, earning a merit scholarship to attend college, and plans to become an elementary school teacher. But at an age when getting behind the wheel seems pivotal, Esquivel can't drive to the mall or to see her friends, not to mention to school or work.
"Sometimes I feel like going out, but I can't really do that," she said.
Esquivel was smuggled by relatives through a border checkpoint in a car with her younger sister — an experience she barely remembers.
In high school, she watched classmates get driver's licenses and cars as soon as they turned 16. Esquivel and a few others could not apply because of their legal status.
"It was hard," she said. "I felt left out. They were able to do things, go places, and I couldn't."
Parlier, population 14,500, has little in the way of public transportation, stores or services. Residents drive virtually everywhere — to get to work, grocery shopping, to the doctor and to church.
Esquivel's parents, who pick grapes, olives and other crops in nearby fields, don't have time to drive her places and have not allowed Esquivel to drive without a license, because it's too dangerous, she said.
"If I get stopped, I could get deported," she said. "Things like that worry them."
Numerous bills to grant licenses to those without legal status in California have failed or been vetoed by several governors over the past decade.
Still, the commute to college has proved a challenge. Family members have to wait for hours while Esquivel is in class. And while the young woman's boyfriend, a U.S. citizen, also studies at Fresno State, their schedules don't coincide.
Her parents told her she might soon have to drive on her own, which fills Esquivel with dread. For the past month, she has occasionally sat behind the wheel with a relative in the passenger seat, in lieu of driving lessons.
Esquivel, who is in the process of applying for the new immigration program, hopes a license will come with it. To benefit, immigrants must prove they arrived in the United States before they turned 16, were younger than 31 as of June 15, have been living in the country at least five years, are in school or graduated, and have not been convicted of certain crimes.
Young immigrants who qualify won't get permanent legal residency or a path to citizenship, but will receive a work authorization card and a Social Security number.
"I'm really hoping the law that allows us to drive will pass," Esquivel said. "It would be a great relief for me."
Critics of the new immigration program say granting licenses to young immigrants like Esquivel would reward and accommodate illegal immigrants.
"We're already paying for the costs of illegal immigration. Why should we pay for additional benefits?" said Bob Dane, spokesman with the Federation for American Immigration Reform in Washington D.C. "The driver's license is a breeder document which opens up a full spectrum of rights and privileges" such as access to banking accounts, credit cards and mortgages.
But immigrant advocates say denying licenses to people approved under the new immigration program is illogical.
"This is a common sense issue," said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the Los Angeles based National Immigration Law Center. "These are young people who will have valid work authorization and Social Security numbers. They will need to drive to school, to work, to medical appointments. From a policy perspective, granting them licenses makes sense."
For Esquivel, a license would also mean fulfilling another wish: driving 200 miles north to Sacramento to visit grandparents she has not seen for years.
No she does not get a drivers license, she can't afford a car anyhow. She is most likely on a free ride at FSU anyhow and she can use a bicycle. She was smuggled in to this country and she can go home with such a superior education and make good there.
This presidential "decree" is illegal. Moreover, if you are in the country illegally, leave now. It's that simple.
Amazing, how illegals have more rights than Americans, free college, free food, free rent, don't pay taxes, and we have so many homeless, so many hungry, so many jobless, american taxes pay for the illegals. What do american's get, have to pay for food, rent, education. No freebies for them.
Now illegals get driver's licenses and in some states get jobs that should go to american students. What next, give them cars?
these people are here whether you like it or not. You can attempt to round of 13-20 million people-not gonna happen. you can try to keep them down and in the black market labor pool--they pay next to nothing towards society, or you can help them rise up out of poverty and become taxpaying citizens.
Stop watching fear mongering fox channel people and think for yourselves---many of these young people will be paying into the system for the next 50 years. stop crying and get them into the system immediately. The sooner the better.
Don't care if you are Asian, Hispanic, African, French, Canadian, or whatever. You want to come here....GREAT but do it the RIGHT way. Illegal....Undocumented......whatever. Both mean the same thing. You didn't follow the rules so you need to go back where you came from and come back the right way. Then I will support your right to pursue a job, a house, education, and all the other great benefits of being a LEGAL citizen.
The children should not benefit from their parents illegal actions. If parents stole a car or are illegally squatting in a home, do the children get to keep the house or car when parents are caught? No! We are not penalizing the children, the parents are by teaching their children to do the wrong thing. Put the responsibility where it belong, on the parents, not on the taxpayers.
There has to be a system and quotas. The country cannot not afford to simply open the borders and let everyone and anyone come in/stay in. First, there is not enough jobs for the people already here legally, let alone illegally. Just look at the unemployment numbers in any state at this time. Second, there isnt enough affordable housing to properly support a mass influx. and by properly, I mean to have the allowable number of people living in any given house. There are single family dwellings that already house multiple families. Third, there has to be infrastructure available to support those already legally here. And lets not forget the safety/security issues. And no I'm not singling out the hispanic population. there are many gangs/mafia that come in from Asia/Russian countries. I'm not opposed to reasonable immigration, but there has to be limits.
Don't care if you are Asian, Hispanic, African, French, Canadian, or whatever. You want to come here....GREAT but do it the RIGHT way. Illegal....Undocumented......whatever. Both mean the same thing. You didn't follow the rules so you need to go back where you came from and come back the right way. Then I will support your right to pursue a job, a house, education, and all the other great benefits of being a LEGAL citizen.
The children should not benefit from their parents illegal actions. If parents stole a car or are illegally squatting in a home, do the children get to keep the house or car when parents are caught? No! We are not penalizing the children, the parents are by teaching their children to do the wrong thing. Put the responsibility where it belong, on the parents, not on the taxpayers.
There has to be a system and quotas. The country cannot not afford to simply open the borders and let everyone and anyone come in/stay in. First, there is not enough jobs for the people already here legally, let alone illegally. Just look at the unemployment numbers in any state at this time. Second, there isnt enough affordable housing to properly support a mass influx. and by properly, I mean to have the allowable number of people living in any given house. There are single family dwellings that already house multiple families. Third, there has to be infrastructure available to support those already legally here. And lets not forget the safety/security issues. And no I'm not singling out the hispanic population. there are many gangs/mafia that come in from Asia/Russian countries. I'm not opposed to reasonable immigration, but there has to be limits.
Stay away from Mexifornia !! There's about to be a few more million drivers on the road with no insurance...
Gov Sandoval approves, because he has not spoken out against it. Start attacking him Sharron Angle voters.. .-)
I think thats great. Give the illegals drivers licenses this way we know who and where they are so we can throw them out of the country. Makes sense to me. Remember illegals big brother is watching you.
Didn't catch what Nevada is going to do...why not report on Nevada and not California
Comment removed by moderator. Same (or similar) comment posted on multiple stories.
Let us think about this in terms of "global" and being a world citizen. In any country, folks need a driver's license and insurance, whether they live there or travel. Securing a driver's license is in line with supporting such a policy. As Commenter Chuck333 pointed out with, "I think thats great. Give the illegals drivers licenses this way we know who and where they are so we can throw them out of the country. Makes sense to me. Remember illegals big brother is watching you." this has illegals volunteering to be in the system and tracked, and at the same time, encourages following our laws. In a illegal roundup, they will be much easier to catch and process, should that ever happen.
Also, Commenter Theladykt declares the harsh reality of any illegal resident here in the USA is both illegal and criminally using the infrastructure and services available to LEGAL USA citizens, and this should not be condoned nor tolerated. In other words, "BE here legally!"
It happens that I know about Parlier (ran Daystar, a Christian coffee house where Cesar Chavez was once headquartered in a quansihutin the 1970s) and the terrible drive to any college, especially Fresno State. Those are extremely dangerous roads, especially in the winter. This young lady would do well to live in the dorms or share housing in Fresno while attending college either way.
No matter what, it serves the public and society well to have all people driving on the roads, to be both educated of the rules of the road, and to secure auto insurance while driving, be it driving here or in another country. So mandating licensing for any and all is vital in my mind. The government can use licenses as a tracking tool as well. If they violate the law, are stopped, have no license or insurance, then immediate deportation will be one of the consequences. PERIOD. This is the first step in encouraging compliance of OUR USA laws!
Blessings and Peace,
Star
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
Ah, that picture is so nice, hispanic supremacists and imperialists hugging on each other
Why would we provide all the rights of legal citizenship to illegals? Just more drain on our government agencies and economy. The younger illegals might want to check on the status of the various lawsuits trying to force ENFORCEMENT OF OUR LAWS and deport them all.
Sure looks like public opinion is coming around to ENFORCING OUR BORDER LAWS. I hope that the public and posters above maintain their posture and keep EXPLAINING THAT ILLEGALS MUST GO HOME. Silence, the "silent majority" has been ignored while politicians "infer" that our silence means we're OK with adopting all the illegals. Dream on. Now, will someone explain it to the President and company? We just can't afford to support the entire planet. How are we going to fund the war with Iran? Cut services to citizens while we up the ante for illegals. More of the same.
All I read of this article is the headline. Wrong, just wrong in so many ways! Ice Ice Baby!
Why not make a simplified way on getting people in this country? Make them pay a honest rate to get in (taking the coyotes out of the picture) & tax him/her and others they bring a premium tax for not being a citizen. Thereby immigrants pay there way legally into America and get a tax incentive for becoming American Citizens.