Unlicensed and uninsured drivers are getting behind the wheels of motor vehicles that are
operated on the highways and city streets. A very large number of undocumented immigrants have cars and they are operating these vehicles without a driver's license or insurance because, their immigration status does not allow them to apply for a valid driver's license issued by the State. Many hit and run accidents are caused by unlicensed and uninsured drivers some of these drivers are likely to be undocumented immigrants. In order to make our streets safe for every one, the Governor of New York State has implemented a program to included undocumented immigrants as license drivers by issuing licenses regardless of them immigration status. An Estimated 50,000 to 1 million undocumented immigrants could be driving on the streets without a valid license or insurance .
Unlicensed drivers seems to be more reckless on the roads simply because,they are not registered with the state in which they live, and are unknown and cannot be easily found when accidents occurs. They have no driving records or home addresses that are on file with the State Motor Vehicle Bureau, yet they are taking a risk to drive, and have ownership of a vehicle the same as as a license drivers and this is illegal. Non- registered drivers are more likely to leave the scene of an accident than a registered driver, because these drivers are hiding to drive and do not want to take on any responsibility of being suit by accident victims. The issuance of driver's license to an undocumented immigrant would be within the state driving laws. All vehicle drivers should have a valid driver's license and insurance. Immigrants would also gain self- esteem by gaining recognition as a person with the issuance of a drivers license would bring most immigrants to the forefront with an identity at this point, there are immigrants living in the United States without any one knowing who they are or why are they here. The issuance of drivers license will empower immigrants as far as driving on city streets. Many immigrants living in the large cities are taxi drivers, and it is a disaster if these drivers are undocumented and unlicensed drivers that are on our streets each day picking up passengers and transporting them to various location without any insurance.
The reason why politicians are opposing the issuing drivers license to immigrants, is because of September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the Unites States. Some people are associating immigrants with links to terrorism, but we have also experience terrorism from others who were documented and living in United States. The Question that is on most people mind is, "Can a terrorist group produce the same documents required by undocumented immigrants and get a valid drivers license and use it as form of Identification to commit a crime?". They also view undocumented immigrants as a flight risk when they commit a crime because they may not be able to be easily prosecuted.
I think the important fact that we have to look into is that people that are living in the country that are unknown will now have surface and will know be known and we will have a chance to know who these people are and what they are doing in the United States. In my opinion I think granting immigrants a drivers license is one of the safest thing the Governor of New York can do. The undocumented Immigrants drivers will have to supply several legitimate documents to prove who there are and a permanent residence and place of employments in order to be issued a drivers license, these documents will be also improving the security in the State of New York on the road in our neighborhood and in our every day lives. The State of New York is finding out more information about these immigrants that ever before they will know find out undocumented immigrants true identities know who they are they will be able to do background check on any one that may prove suspicious. I think this is the right step for any State to make decision of valid driver license.
Most Immigrants are employed in farming, restaurants, and construction. In some places especially where new developments are being built they is little or no public transportation, the only alternative would be for someone who has access to a motor vehicle to do would be to drive to work. If their immigration status prevents them from obtaining a drivers license legitimately, the outcome would be that they would continue to drive as most are now driving without license and insurance and I am sure many people come in contact with these drivers daily and these unlicensed drivers can cause accident which may also become fatal if they are allowed to continue to drive without a license we are send a message that they do not need a drivers license in order to be a driver in this state this can increase many fatalities each day. In order to obtain a valid drivers license is learning the rules and road sign is this is where the non-immigrant drivers are lacking this knowledge but they are still operating a motor vehicles on the highways and city streets.
Bringing undocumented immigrants to the forefront by issuing them driver's license would give them the responsibility of keeping a clean drivers record and also paying taxes and insurance to use the road at this time they are getting it all for free. These immigrants come to the United States not because they are store-aways, but because they learn to dream big and we should not shatter their dreams by taking away the very thing that would help them to succeed, that having the freedom to drive on our streets without hiding in the shadows any more would make life easier for immigrants who are now driving without license or insure many immigrants would like to abide by the law but they cannot if that very law prevents them from do so.
The supporting arguments use by many people some of which are politicians is that the issuers will be helping illegal immigrants to break the law; this is making it safer for everyone by not excluding undocumented immigrants. Soon many undocumented drivers will be helping us pay our taxes keeping the road safer, and we all will benefit from this program. Many states have already tested this program for undocumented drivers and it has proven successful so I believe it will be successful in the larger cities, because these are were immigrant population are the largest.
In my opinion the issuance of drivers a licenses would give us a better realization of who these people are and we would respect and think differently about undocumented immigrants. These are some of the people that are involved in our daily lives and we really need to get to know them, and know immigrants are here to help us build not to destroy. These immigrants are apart of what make the United State such and interested place to be in this century when immigrants are migrating from all over the world living in the United States we might not be able to visit some of these countries but the immigrants that are living here brings traditional values into this country, besides various skills and industries and new ideas.