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| AP Photo: North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. States such as North Carolina and Oregon have begun granting special driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. |
But across the country this year, a curious thing has happened: A growing number of states are reversing course and seven have now joined the three.
In recent months, all but two states have tweaked their policies to give driver's licenses to tens of thousands of young people who were brought illegally to the U.S. as children and granted reprieve from deportation and permission to work.
On top of that, measures to allow driver's licenses or driving-privilege cards to millions of undocumented immigrants were introduced in about 18 states this year. While most are pending, seven bills have been enacted into law, to become effective over the next two years or so.
Among the seven states is Oregon, where Gov. John Kitzhaber signed legislation to allow state residents in the country unlawfully to be allowed to legally drive, reversing an action his predecessor took six years earlier.
Oregon next year will begin issuing the four-year driver's cards, which also can be used as ID in some cases, though not to access federal buildings or board commercial flights.
Immigrant advocates say the turn of events reflects a shift in the national conversation around immigration and acknowledgment by some that licensed and insured drivers are safer on the roads. Additionally, many states have also recognized that it's possible to allow undocumented immigrants to legally drive, while still conforming to stricter federal requirements for government-issued licenses and IDs.
"This is a far cry from when Washington was facing several bills to take access away from these working men and women," said Charlie McAteer, with OneAmerica, a Seattle-based immigrant-advocacy group.
A bill to deny driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants was introduced this year in the Legislature but didn't receive a hearing.
"Now in 2013 we are excited that several states are signifying momentum in the other direction," McAteer said.
Without having to pass a driving test or buy auto insurance, immigrants in states where they are unable to get licenses drive anyway. And a recent study in California by the state Department of Motor Vehicles showed that unlicensed drivers are nearly three times as likely to cause a crash.
Craig Keller heads a group called Respect Washington, which for years has tried but failed to collect enough signatures for an initiative to deny certain benefits, including driver's licenses, to those in the country illegally.
He's collecting signatures for another initiative this year as well as for a referendum to help repeal the Oregon law.
"There is no doubt America and many states are now under attack by those who wish to amnesty and legitimize millions of illegal alien lawbreakers," Keller said. "Loosening of driver's license standards is just one prong in this attack."
