North Carolina’s Department of Motor Vehicles is set to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants next month, but not without controversy. A bright pink stripe and the words “No Lawful Status” has many up in arms.
The license was designed for participants in President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, those whose parents brought them into the United States illegally as a child. If they meet federal criteria, they will be allowed to stay legally on a work permit for up to two years.
Photo credit: Weasel Zippers
The license benefits Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals participants, according to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, especially if they are pulled over and asked for identification.
“If he has an identification,” Page told Fox8. “There’s a better chance he’s going to get a citation or a warning and sent on his way versus ending up at the magistrate’s office and ending up in the local jail.”
But Cara Read, a High Point University student who has lived in America since she was 6 years old, has a green card and is working to become a U.S. citizen, fears she will be required to have the same license.
“I think anything that mentions me not being a citizen on my driver’s license might be discriminatory and is a label I don’t think I should have on my license,” Cara told Fox8. “There’s such a negative conversation around immigration in general. I’m afraid this will confuse employers or anyone looking at my license. It could make them question if I’m here legally, which I am.”
While proponents of the license are also touting it as a measure to combat voter ID fraud, North Carolina doesn’t require residents to show ID to vote.
Since Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s administration announced the Department of Motor Vehicles would begin issuing the licenses, Rep. Mark Brody, R-Union, and three freshmen legislators have introduced a bill to halt the program until June 15 in order to clarify details in the state law.
According to Fox News:
Brody said he believes strongly that the DACA program violated the U.S. Constitution because it was implemented without congressional approval. Obama said last year he was forced to take executive action by the decades-long failure of Congress to consider meaningful immigration reform.
Among the concerns raised by Brody and other bill sponsors is that illegal immigrants might use their new licenses to access social programs or register to vote, despite the bright pink markings. An extensive 2011 review of the state’s 6.4 million registered voters by the N.C. Board of Elections found 12 instances were a non-citizen successfully cast a ballot.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said that it is up to the states to determine how to handle the issue.
See the Fox8 report here:
About Cheryl Carpenter Klimek
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Discriminatory? I think not. Unconstitutional to issue them in the 1st place? I think so. Everyone is so concerned about how the illegal aliens feel, well what about the citizens of NC. How do you think this makes them feel? I’ll tell you,,,,, it’s really pissing off a lot of people that they want to issue them at all. It’s not right.
They want them to look exactly like a American citizens license so they can impersonate themself as a US citizen. These twits always conveniently using the phrase – discriminatory and labeling – Have no problem labeling them self during events such as “cinco di mio” or any other mexican event same as blacks claim they don’t want to be labeled unless they are getting some perk or recognition such as grants or entitlements or black history month, black biker week, black caucus black this and black that. Imagine if the whites had specific dates, months and events that depicted and recognized their race exclusively.
As usual, these border-violating miscreants are whining. The sense of entitlement and outright arrogance possessed by these undesirables is beyond the pale.
North Carolina is under no obligation whatsoever to issue driver’s licenses or to bestow any other benefits on illegal aliens, which these outlaws are, and it’s outrageous that the governor approved of this. How do we know who these border-hoppers really are?
These criminals are a threat to public safety and national security and should be promptly removed. The governor should rescind this idiocy.
not discriminatory…just factual. if you’re legal you should have your green card on you. this will allow officers to identify illegal immigrants who aren’t suppose to be here anyway. i love it!!!! most illegals don;t carry insurance anyway, therefore they will also be fined for that. THAT’S what the pr oblem is, illegals don’t want to have to be identified so they can run to mexico if they committ a crime. i think EVERY state should do this….
If they have to issue a license, then why can it not state the truth… why are they afraid of the truth? If they don’t like it, tell them to go back where they came from!
I love what McCrory’s doing. Very similar to what Bath House Barry is trying to do with gun registration. Only law abiding gun owners aren’t stupid enough to register weapons. It’s turning yourself in for confiscation. Let the illegals set themselves up! We’ll be able to track them more effectively!
Political correctness will the the downfall of our country. Not only have illegals ignored and violated our laws but they have managed to be rewarded and pandered to by both parties that caused this problem to begin with. The application of our laws should be the same for everyone.
What part of “illegal” and “unlawful” don’t people understand? Send their illegal butts back home!
I come for visit, get treated regal,
So I stay, who care I illegal?
I cross border, poor and broke,
Take bus, see employment folk.
Nice man treat me good in there,
Say I need to see welfare.
Welfare say, “You come no more,
We send cash right to your door.”
Welfare checks, they make you
wealthy,
Medicaid it keep you healthy!
By and by, I got plenty money,
Thanks to you, American dummy.
Write to friends in motherland,
Tell them come as fast as you can.
They come in rags and Chebby
trucks,
I buy big house with welfare bucks.
They come here, we live together,
More welfare checks, it gets better!
Fourteen families they moving in,
But neighbor’s patience wearing thin.
Finally, white guy moves away,
Now I buy his house, and then I say,
“Find more aliens for house to rent.”
And in the yard I put a tent.
Send for family (they just trash),
But they, too, draw the welfare cash!
Everything is mucho good,
And soon we own the neighborhood.
We have hobby–it’s called breeding,
Welfare pay for baby feeding.
Kids need dentist? Wife need pills?
We get free! We got no bills!
American crazy! He pay all year,
To keep welfare running here.
We think America darn good place!
Too darn good for the white man
race.
If they no like us, they can go,
Got lots of room in Mexico
The word “Freedom” to illegals means we get everything “FREE” from the “DUM” Americans.
Send it to the Congress, Senate, or Whtie House. This clever little poem is already well known among citizens, but apparently no phony Congressman/woman, Senator or Obama has ever heard of it.
It saddens me to read these comments. One question I have for every last one of you is, If you were to see this particular license in thw hand of a latino ( because not all of us are mexican you know) what would you think of them? Honestly !!! You all are the reason why this design isn’t flying with the latino community, because you will automatically assume that they are here illegally. When this license is for many people that are living in the US and trying to obtain citizenship or a SS#. Please check yourselves and realize that diversity is what makes OUR country a great place to work and raise our children. Without said diversity OUR country would not be what it is today. These licenses (while lawful) are demeaning. Not because of what crimes may or may not have been committed by the person carrying it, but because of the one set minds of people like yourselves.
The US welcomes people of all different backgrounds who abide by our laws. In the distant past immigrants came here to escape persecution and to contribute to our country. They started at the bottom and instilled work ethics in their children who fulfilled the American dream. They worked hard for what they got. This is what made our country great. Today if you read what is going on most of the illegals entering our country are taking advantage of American social programs: some are involved in drug cartels or other crimes: and some are children brought here by their parents.
If our laws do not apply to illegals then why should they apply to Americans? It seems that the Patriot Act which took away many constitutional rights was put in place only to control law abiding Americans not the over 20 million unknowns who came across our border some of whom are terrorists. Illegals have a negative fiscal impact and threaten our national security. Congress created this problem and will continue to make it worse.
RL, if you have this license, YOU ARE HERE ILLEGALLY. DACA does NOT change the STATUS of illegal aliens. They’re STILL ILLEGAL ALIENS. All DACA does is say that deportation proceedings are being postponed and that the illegal alien is allowed to work here TEMPORARILY. “Trying to obtain citizenship” doesn’t make you here LEGALLY. And frankly, Latinos should be more worried about what other AMERICANS think of THEM. Why should they want to be assoicated with lying cheating law breakers? Poss such as yours just reinforce the idea that Latinos place the interests of their own ethnic group over those of Americans in general.
Wrong AL, diversity SEPARATES us, it was law abiding immigrants who assimilated into the melting pot that made the USA UNITED, strong and great.
It’s a violation of United States Immigration law code, BRO. You see, there is no need for this kind of license and it’s only done to fool U.S. citizens into believing these folks should be here in the first place. You won’t find this kind of silliness in Mexico, because Mexico respects Mexicans.etc. In fact, you won’t find it in any country that has “latinos”.
It makes me heartsick to see our nation becoming another third world. I have four great-granddaughters who will never know the country in which I grew up. Since it’s beginning, our leaders and our people fought together against our common enemy. Suddenly, we have been invaded, on our own land, and our leaders actually welcome the invaders. No more patriotic outpouring of rallying around our flag, no more military to defend our borders, no more “fireside chats” by our President to let the people know we’re all in this together and will win. Only a government who tells us that we’re expendable and that the invaders are the chosen people who will inherit “our” part of the earth. We’ve surrendered without a battle.