The decision by the Obama administration to provide work permits to some illegal immigrants could result in them being able to get Arizona driver licenses.
Tim Tait, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said Wednesday his agency is studying last week’s directive which allows many who were brought to the country as children to seek to defer being prosecuted for being in this country illegally and to avoid being deported.
Under a 1996 Arizona law, anyone seeking a driver’s license must prove both identity and legal presence in this country. The same requirement exists for non-operator identification cards issued by ADOT.
Technically speaking, Friday’s move does not grant legal status anyone who entered the country illegally or overstayed a visa. But the order does say those who qualify will be issued permits by the federal government entitling them to work in this country legally.
Tait said that raises a host of issues.
“At this time it’s not know how or if the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s announcement to exercise discretion will affect the requirements for credential issuances,” Tait told Capitol Media Services.
He pointed out that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said it will take about 60 days to implement the directive.
“States like Arizona will await further information before we decide how to proceed,” he said.
How many Arizonans might be affected remains unclear.
The Department of Homeland Security is using a figure of 800,000 nationwide.
But the Migration Policy Institute, working with the guidelines as announced by the administration, figures the number at closer to 1.4 million.
Organization spokeswoman Michelle Mittelstadt said about 50,000 of these people are presumed to be in Arizona. And of that, slightly more than half are currently in school, with another nearly 30 percent who are high school graduates or have a equivalency diploma and are not planning further education.
The institute also believes another 17 percent are currently enrolled in college or already have graduated.
The possibility of the president’s actions affecting state law annoyed Gov. Jan Brewer.
Press aide Matthew Benson said his boss “stands with the majority of Arizonans in opposing the distribution of driver licenses or any other public benefits to illegal aliens.”
But that has not kept the governor from using the administration’s move to her political advantage: She sent out an e-mail earlier this week on behalf of her federal political action committee.
“I have set a goal of raising $50,000 in opposition to this ridiculous policy,” the message reads. “Will you help me reach the goal by donating today?”
The governor defended the move.
“I know I have to raise money for my PAC if I’m going to get my message out, if I’m going to be able to do things it’s going to take to get the job done on this upcoming election,” she told Capitol Media Services.
JanPAC, as the committee is known, raised $31,000 in the first three months of the year; reports are not yet due for the second quarter.
Expenses are limited to races for federal offices. But Brewer has not yet made any donations to any candidate nor done any independent expenditures on behalf of anyone.
“It’ll go to whomever I decide it’ll go to, as the appropriate time,” she said. Brewer said that may include helping to elect GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney.
Brewer has been trying to sweeten her plea with offers of a signed copy of her book, “Scorpions for Breakfast” for donors. That originally was available only to those who sent at least $100; the most recent request says a $50 donation will get a signed book.
ken Barbie posted at 1:39 pm on Mon, Aug 6, 2012.
Good Job Obama. Everyone deserves the right to be here all this scum bags are plain stupid barbecue if it wasn't for them who would work on our fields. be thank full they do work we aren't willing to do![beam]
k33j88 posted at 8:18 am on Tue, Jun 26, 2012.
California, michigan, new york,---and other bastions of liberal agendas are all on the end of their respective fiscal ropes. Let us give a resounding role of applause to those espousing bleeding-heart liberal environments. Because, as we all know, illegals are "hard-working undocumented", with high moral fiber, embracing AMERICAN loyalty and love what it means to be a UNITED STATES citizen (or something to that effect).
Arizona Willie posted at 9:00 am on Mon, Jun 25, 2012.
InformedVoter: that 200 was only the number who got CAUGHT.
No one knows how many did not get caught either because they did not get called for jury duty or were willing to keep up the charade and serve and therefore were not questioned.
And that was the last election.
There has been a reported surged of hispanics registering to vote THIS election.
And since Obama holds out the promise of allowing them to become legal ... it would be logical that they would be willing to register and vote for him.
Most of them probably don't know that registering to vote in Arizona get you on the list for being called for jury duty.
But, I can GUARANTEE you that they know that under the law no one is allowed to check their citizenship declaration on the voter registration form.
Since no one is allowed to check and see if the lied or not ... the chances of getting caught registering illegally are exceedingly remote.
If they weren't afraid of getting caught working illegally and committing identity theft ... why would they worry about the virtually non-existent chance of getting caught lying about being citizens on the voter registration?
Please post your explanation of why these people who have already broken our laws would suddenly become so scrupulously honest.
Please ... we could all use a good laugh.
Masterrogue666 posted at 9:50 am on Sat, Jun 23, 2012.
VoReason has given a good point! I don't see any counter point to it. In order to become a citizen, ONE requirement is you must be of good moral character.
Invading foreign nationals that ignore our laws DO NOT have good moral character. Obama's trying to buy votes....
Masterrogue666 posted at 9:48 am on Sat, Jun 23, 2012.
CooperG, you are the one that's pathetic. You claim it's all about race, when it is not. How long are you going to beat that dead horse?
Rational Human posted at 7:09 am on Sat, Jun 23, 2012.
You don't know how many illegals voted. The left wont allow us to get an accurate count or require voting ID as this would unfairly disenfranchise their voter base. Florida tries to purge their voter rolls of people not qualified to vote for one reason or another and the Obongo administration sues. Democrats everywhere should be proud.
saguaro posted at 10:10 am on Fri, Jun 22, 2012.
I doubt that the Feds can force the State of AZ to issue AZDLs to illegal aliens. DOJ will have to sue to make us do so, and they will but they will lose.
informedVoter posted at 4:16 pm on Thu, Jun 21, 2012.
Since each act of voter fraud risks five years in prison and a $10,000 fine - but yields at most one incremental vote, it make absolute clear sense for individuals to commit voter fraud. And it is sooo rampant! For example Washington State actually reveals that voter fraud does happen, it happens approximately 0.0009% of the time! Whoa, that is almost 0.001!
And the problem of dead dogs voting is just as bad. Last election I saw one live dog dragging a dead dog to the polls, twice! The second time it was wearing a disguise but I knew better. I just hope cats don't get the same idea because we all know cats are very, very liberal!
TruthSeeker posted at 2:46 pm on Thu, Jun 21, 2012.
These illegal aliens will have access to voting if they so desire. Can someone explain to me how a dead dog in Bedford County, Virginia, received a voter registration form through the mail? And the dog has been dead for two years. Apparently, the dog was qualified because it had reached 19 years of age. Google it. Voter registration is just as secure as our border. Not!
Arizona Willie posted at 1:10 pm on Thu, Jun 21, 2012.
I admit it -- I was wrong :*(
I thought they ( EVT ) deleted my post but they didn't.
It was the same subject but in a different place on the website.
Not too often I feel stupid ... but this is one of those days :(
VofReason posted at 12:21 pm on Thu, Jun 21, 2012.
Gee CooperG, are all illegal aliens hispanic or is that just the group you choose to defend their right to illegally enter the country. I know liberals think illegal immigration is a victimless crime, but maybe you should ask the people who have their SSNs stolen so that illegals can get jobs?
Arizona Willie posted at 10:59 am on Thu, Jun 21, 2012.
Hmmm, I posted a response to CooperG and it disappeared!!!
Tell me CooperG ... just why you believe an illegal alien who has already broken several laws to be here and get a job would refuse to lie on the voter registration form?
All you have to do is fill it out and swear you are a citizen.
NO ONE CHECKS THE CITIZENSHIP.
It's on the honor system.
But the illegals have no honor in the first place are they would not committ identity theft etc. and come into the country illegally.
Illegals have already broken several laws ... there is no logical reason they would not lie in order to vote for politicians who will let them stay and be legal.
Why do you think someone who has shown they don't care about our laws would refuse to lie?
fae4now posted at 10:03 am on Thu, Jun 21, 2012.
Great job of 'spelling it out' Cooper.
I'd swear some people's views are rooted in pure insecurity and fears of inferiority. They just need to feel that they are somehow better than someone else.
How else to explain this non-sense?
quatro3 posted at 7:20 am on Thu, Jun 21, 2012.
Good call CooperG, people need to go back to school and learn our voting laws of this state and country,before they start claiming voter fraud.
Suetlg posted at 6:00 pm on Wed, Jun 20, 2012.
SINCE Drivers Licenses can be use to VOTE in U.S.. Drivers Licenses Issued
to ILLEGALs with Work Visa SHOULD BE PRINTED with Large Letters at TOP
of Licenses that says " ONLY USEABLE FOR VISA WORK PERMIT FOR ILLEGAL STATUS.
Juggernaut8000 posted at 5:33 pm on Wed, Jun 20, 2012.
Doesn't he see the rise in US unemployment? Now our vote hungry president just opened up a whole new pool of illegals who can work here legally.
Liberals like him have destroyed the American Dream at the cost of the very people who pay his salary.
legalres posted at 5:30 pm on Wed, Jun 20, 2012.
That drivers license will enable them to vote in the general election, Obama just sold America down the road so he could get re-elected. Nobama 2012