California isn’t exactly known for its adherence to federal immigration policies, but one recent move has activists up in arms.
The state has agreed to nationally share information about driver’s license holders, including illegal immigrants. The decision has prompted backlash from self-described civil liberties and immigrant advocacy groups, though left unquestioned is the wisdom of allowing illegal immigrants to obtain a driver’s license in the first place.
In 2013, then-California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation allowing driver’s licenses to be issued to illegal immigrants, unsurprisingly attempting to frame it as a practical move rather than an ideological one. The recent decision to share driver data follows discussions regarding the Real ID Act of 2005, and the alternative of airports and other federal facilities refusing to accept California license identification.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office responded to the news with boilerplate talking points, saying, “California continues to lead in supporting immigrant families and protecting personal data from federal overreach.” However, the database that the state will be sharing the information with includes the last five digits of people’s Social Security numbers, and allows states to use “99999” if they have none. This effectively would determine whether they are in the country legally or not.
The decision comes on the heels of an initiative that would require voter ID qualifying for the November ballot in the state, something the Democratic Party is vociferously against. As usual, the party wants to exempt illegal immigrants from society’s rules, both out of open-borders zeal and in order to bolster its political grip on the state.
For his part, California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton previously remarked that the state “[…] just kind of accepted mass law breaking” on the issue of immigration, attributing the attitude to the Democratic Party’s long-time rule of the state. The other Republican running, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, has vowed to end California’s status as a sanctuary state.
That may be a long way off should Democrats retain the governorship, but if federal pressure prompts baby steps in the right direction, it’s welcome news.
