Driver's Licenses for Immigrants
In the United States, a driver's license now more than just acertificate that allows a person drive. A license is now used as theprimary means of identification, one that allows a rightful holder to buyalcoholic beverages, cash checks, get welfare and other public assistanceor obtain a permit to carry a firearm. Prior to the World Trade Centerattacks on September 11, 2001, passengers only needed a boarding pass and adriver's license to board on an airplane. Growing security concerns, however, have highlighted the problem ofgranting driver's licenses and state identification cards to illegalaliens. Many of the terrorists involved in the World Trade Center attacks,for example, had valid driver's licenses (Sundeen). This paper examines the pros and cons of laws to grant driver'slicenses to all immigrants, regardless of their immigration status. Thefirst part of this paper is an overview regarding the different laws andbills related to driver's licenses for immigrants. The next part thenlooks at critics of this measure. In the conclusion, the paper examinescompromise solutions that address both the need to ensure that all drivershave the mandatory driving skills while also addre
Furthermore, the relevant licensing authoritieswould be charged with verifying an alien's legal status before granting anylicenses ("Bills Would Deny Drivers Licenses to Illegal Aliens"). Better security measures would presumably ensurethat people like Hanjour and Al-Midhar will not be able to obtain suchimportant identification documents. " Under this proposed law, licenses and ID card issued to non-immigrant aliens would automatically expire at the end of a person's lawfulstay in the United States. However, aspointed out by law enforcement officers, there is also a strong need toensure safety on public roads. This bill will prevent federal government agencies fromaccepting licenses as identification documents issued by states that do nottie license expiration to the expiration of an alien's visa. Immigration watchdogs such as FAIR argue that granting licenses to allaliens is a tacit acceptance of illegal immigration. These drivers have caused 11 percent of allfatal crashes in that year (Sundeen). In conclusion, current licensing procedures are compromised byloopholes and fraud, placing the public at a security risk. Most laws regarding driver's licenses either aim to extend licensingto all immigrants or to restrict licenses altogether. The AmericanAssociation of Motor Vehicle Administrators, at least 20 states do notrequire legal residency to issue a driver's license. HanniHanjour and Khalid Al-Midhar, who were among the September 11 hijackers,were able to obtain legal driver's licenses from Virginia by having anotherperson co-sign their residency forms. In2000 alone, over 6,100 people have been killed in fatal crashes involvingimproperly licensed drivers. Eric Cantor of Virginia introduced the "Drivers' License IntegrityAct.
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Acceptance Essays
