Should California Issue Illegal Immigrants Driver's Licenses? Police Chief Charlie Beck Says Yes

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Loosening the reigns a bit more on transportation restrictions, L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck has taken a controversial stance on driver's licensing, stating his belief that California should issue licenses to illegal immigrants. He's shaking up the political debate, and the L.A. Times sat down with Beck to find out more about his views on the subject.

Beck said the following to a team of Times editorial writers and reporters:

The reality is that all the things that we’ve done - 'we' being the state of California - over the last 14, 16 years have not reduced the problem one iota, haven’t reduced undocumented aliens driving without licenses. So we have to look at what we’re doing. When something doesn’t work over and over and over again, my view is that you should reexamine it to see if there is another way that makes more sense.

Beck believes California's roads would be safer if illegal immigrants endured the "rigorous testing process" of obtaining driver's licenses, and he also feels the number of hit-and-run accidents would decrease, as drivers wouldn't be afraid of getting caught without a license. Additionally, Beck feels granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants would help police better identify people. He asked, "Why wouldn't you want to better identify people who are going to be here?"

Licenses for illegal immigrants, according to Beck, should differ from those granted to citizens: "It could be a provisional license, it could be a nonresident license."

One popular concern is the claim that offering illegals licenses would hinder terrorist detection. Beck reportedly acknowledges that state officials would be tasked with addressing the issue.

Beck's opinion of driver's license restrictions for illegal immigrants stems from his also controversial efforts to revise the LAPD's vehicle impound rules for unlicensed drivers. He feels illegal immigrants have been given the short end of the stick by existing impound protocols, which the Times details below.

Currently, officers can opt between two parts of the state vehicle code when impounding an unlicensed driver’s vehicle. One allows an owner to retrieve the car from the impound lot immediately, while the other keeps it impounded for 30 days - a delay that comes with fees and fines that typically exceed $1,200. Under Beck’s proposed changes, officers would be required to use the more lenient approach when impounding cars of unlicensed drivers who have auto insurance, a legitimate form of identification and no previous convictions for unlicensed driving. (People driving on suspended or revoked licenses or those who do not satisfy the department's requirements would have their cars impounded with the 30-day hold.)

(P.S. Did anyone share scones with Beck last Thursday?)

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By Lauren Lloyd in News on February 22, 2012 4:29 PM

Comments [rss]

Kali Shae

There are ALREADY TooMany LOOPHOLES for Illegals to exploit...The Only way to help America and Legal Americans is to ELIMINATE loopholes and ENFORCE LAW

Kali Shae

NO DL's for Illegals, NO amnesty, No Dream Act. No Welfare, No "Anchor baby" "rights"...The ONLY Correct way to deal with Illegals is to make them Face the Consequenses for their Illegal, Criminal Choices..
Anything less is Unsafe and a burden on Legal Americans.

Carlos Reyes

He is right !!

openminded14

put yourself in the shoes of another HUMAN struggling at every aspect of living in America, there are situations where a baby is born in Mexico and is brought to America , an innocent crime at best on the babys part. are you gonna blame him for bad decision making? dont people understand the difficulties of that babys life when he grows old and is stuck being tormented and judged ? have some compassion for people struggling 100x's harder for a simple drivers license that most citizens see as a "simple guessed multi-choice quiz"

stara401

Sounds like, well, I let my 14 year old son and all of his friends drink in my house while I was at home, so what's the problem? They were supervised

bad
fucking
idea

bike LA

I'm for this. These people are already driving on our streets, this gives them not the option of a license, but no excuse not to have one. But, "rigorous testing process", is he referring to the way licenses are practically given away to anyone that guesses a few multi-choice questions right?

Paul

Terrible idea

How do you improve hit and run accidents from illegal immigrants without a driver's license or insurance?

IMPROVE OUR GODDAMN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

A way for them to get around without putting others at risk, is the best way to go.

Just because they can get a license, doesn't mean they'll get insurance, or drive safely.

nikki321

I can't believe that this is a topic. They are illegal so why are they here. I was hit by somebody without a license,insurance and illegal the mans mother lied and said she did it. I dont understand if the cops even take the time to talk to them then why is border patrol not contacted right away. My family took the time and effort to become a citizen the right way.. I feel that rule should be followed by everybody.

crusher153

there is something wrong about giving a legal document to an undocumented illegal! try being an illegal in mexico!

rgvucla

Driving is a privilege not a right. You need to be literate to pass the test. You need to be able to be financially responsible to afford insurance and to care for your car. Sorry but my grandparents, who came here legally, never owned a car and yet managed to get to work using public transportation. The majority of the people are not against immigration but against ILLEGAL immigration.

allieinspace

Actually, you don't have to be literate to drive a car. They have alternate versions for people who can't read as well as tests in other languagues.

Mariano Garcia

Common sense and impartiality being exhibited by a law enforcement official and the police chief of Los Angeles no less???? I've died and gone to heaven....

Paul

Common sense would mean they should realize an illegal immigrant who is working all the time for very little pay will most likely NOT get car insurance even if they got a valid drivers license.

So how does a valid driver's license help the safety of others on the road? It doesn't - so it's a waste of time and money.

Doing something that is a waste of time and money - yup, that sounds about right coming from LAPD.

Eddie Aguirre

"When something doesn’t work over and over and over again, my view is
that you should reexamine it to see if there is another way that makes
more sense." I love it. Except why doesn't he put that kind of thinking towards the war on drugs?

E

War on Drugs???? Just because the Regan administration came up with that cute catch it doesn't mean there is one. Please Google "Barry Seal"

GardenGirl

This will be news to the hundreds of thousands of people in jail for nonviolent drug offenses.

Thoma Bureau

How about the illegal immigrants endure the "rigorous testing process" it takes to become a citizen?

P.S. I would never share scones with this guy.

Tania Galan

don't you think people try? don't you think these illegal immigrants WANT to become citizens?? There is a line for them...a line that takes YEARS and THOUSANDS of dollars PER PERSON to become a citizen. Did you not know this?? Have you ever waited in line for YEARS (not hours OR days) WHILE PAYING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS every time you get money????

Kali Shae

My dad and his family WAITED in Line, and Paid for Proper Procedure to Legally Enter...What makes Illegals special??
They get No Criminal Background Check, or Medical/Disease check BEFORE entering, they CHEAT the system!!
The ILLEGALS PAY "Coyotes" or Smugglers THOUSANDS to SNEAK them in...So WHY cant they pay Immigration!!!

Mariano Garcia

Read into the difficulty and quota of how many people are allowed from certain nations in relation to their overall population to become a citizen and then you shall understand this question. Knowledge is power friend. Not everyone that applies can go through the process, and even less from bordering countries. Less still from people who cannot afford even to feed their families in their own country. This country was founded on the principles of accepting and welcoming all wishing for a better life. Now, it has become a nation leaning towards allowing that unless it is inconvenient to ones own personal judgmental preferences of who who should be allowed in this country. It happened with the Irish, the blacks, the Polish, the Italians, etc....

Sonia Pineda

*slow clap*

E

YES! I wouldn't want someone hitting my ride with no license or insurance

Paul

Right, because the first thing an illegal immigrant who is working for shit pay will do after getting a license legally - is to pay actual insurance.

americaisthelandofimmigrants

It's funny, last time I was in court, I saw all these illegal immigrants who where there because of x reason and got pulled over... and funny thing was, at least 9 out of 10 of those people had registration and/or insurance... but no license. and the other people, 'legal status' had NO license, NO insurance and/or NO registration... Trust me they would love to have a driver's license ... what many people take for granted.