driver’s licenses for Immigrants
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There is an intent behind Washington, New Mexico and Utah being the only three states in the nation that do not require proof of citizenship when someone applies for a driver’s license. That intent is that to get a license, the applicant must pass a written and driving test, and thus know the rules of the road, including carrying automobile insurance.
Off the road, a driver’s license carries value as well, as identification for a whole range of purposes, such as landing a job or cashing a check or renting an apartment or getting through airport security.
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That value has increased in the months since Arizona and Oklahoma approved a crackdown on illegal immigrants. Washington, New Mexico and Utah have become magnets for illegal immigrants in search of ID. Licensing officials believe applicants from other states, as far away as Michigan and North Carolina, have obtained licenses here and then returned to their home states.
That subverts the aforementioned intent, so Washington state has tightened the rules. Effective Nov. 8, the state Department of Licensing reinstated a requirement that those without a Social Security number who are seeking a new driver’s license must provide proof they live in this state. The Department of Licensing started such a policy three years ago but dropped it earlier this year; the stated reason was that many applicants found it inconvenient. The new requirement applies only to those without a Social Security number.
Utility bills and auto-insurance cards will be accepted, state officials say, but cell phone and cable TV bills won’t. Department technicians will verify the documents.
In August, we editorialized that state lawmakers should require applicants to provide proof of citizenship. And while the state’s approach is a step forward, it still falls short of what is needed to restore confidence in what has become a flawed process. The Legislature needs to address the issue before a divisive citizen initiative threatens to do it for them.
Of course, the ultimate answer is for Congress to stop its partisan posturing and pettiness and approve comprehensive immigration reform, one that enhances border security and provides a path to citizenship. We’re not holding our breath, and state officials can’t hold their breath, either.
