Calif. DMV Issues 10,100 Driver Licenses To Illegal Aliens In One Week

January 15, 2015 in News by RBN Staff

Source: LibertyFight.com 

By Martin Hill
January 15, 2015

mexiforniadriverslicense

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has released the latest statistics on the number of undocumented immigrants who have applied for and received drivers licenses under AB60, the law which went into effect January 1st. The DMV issued 10,100 licenses to illegal aliens last week alone, even though 96,000 driver license exams were administered. The agency did not explain why almost 90% of applicants have failed the written and/or driving tests.

DMV Weekly AB 60 Implementation Statistics UpdateSACRAMENTO — The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) today released preliminary statistics for implementation of Assembly Bill 60 (AB 60) for the first full week of implementation data.

The following statistics are from January 3, 2015 to Friday, January 9, 2015:

  • Approximate number of AB 60 driver licenses issued last week: 10,100
    Total approximate number issued since January 2, 2015: 11,070
  • Approximate number of AB 60 applicants who visited a DMV office last week: 96,000
    Total approximate number who visited an office since January 2, 2015: 113,200
  • Approximate number of AB 60 driver license exams (written or behind-the-wheel) administered last week: 96,000
    Total approximate number of exams since January 2, 2015: 109,700

On their website, the agency stated “The DMV has a helpful AB 60 information webpage, ab60.dmv.ca.gov, containing a complete list of acceptable documents that can be used to verify identity and residency, a copy of the driver handbook, sample knowledge tests, appointment information, and other helpful materials. Anyone applying for a first time driver license is required to make an appointment, unless they plan on visiting one of the four temporary Driver License Processing Centers where walk-in traffic is accepted. Online appointments can be scheduled as far as 90 days in advance at www.dmv.ca.gov or by calling 1-800-777-0133.”
The issue of granting driver licenses to illegal immigrants has been a contentious issue in California for many years. Prior to 1994, people had been allowed to get a driver license in California regardless of their immigration status, but that was put to a stop, and after that illegal immigrants were not allowed to get licenses. This new law was signed by CA Governor Jerry Brown on October 03, 2013. The law does not allow illegal aliens to apply for a commercial drivers license. Upon passage of this bill, the legislature admitted that “the California Department of Motor Vehicles must undertake significant and costly activities” and that they “estimate there will be an additional 1.4 million original driver’s license applicants over a three year period.”

The California LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST stated, in part:

In the State of California, there are potentially 1.4 million drivers who are unlicensed and uninsured. It is our responsibility to ensure that all California drivers are properly trained, tested, and insured in order to make our roads safer.This bill would require the department to issue an original driver’s license to a person who is unable to submit satisfactory proof that the applicant’s presence in the United States is authorized under federal law if he or she meets all other qualifications for licensure and provides satisfactory proof to the department of his or her identity and California residency. This bill would make it a violation of law to discriminate against an individual because he or she holds or presents a license issued under these provisions. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2018, the California Research Bureau to compile and submit to the Legislature and the Governor a report that, among other things, includes instances when these licenses are used to discriminate against an individual.


This bill would authorize an applicant who is unable to provide satisfactory proof that his or her presence in the United States is authorized under federal law to sign an affidavit attesting that he or she is both ineligible for a social security number and unable to submit satisfactory proof that his or her presence in the United States is authorized under federal law in lieu of submitting a social security number. The bill would prohibit the use of this information to consider an individual’s citizenship or immigration status as a basis for a criminal investigation, arrest, or detention. This bill would make these changes operative on January 1, 2015, or on the date the director of the department executes a specified declaration, whichever is sooner.

This bill would state that its provisions do not authorize an individual to apply for, or be issued, a commercial driver’s license without submitting his or her social security account number with his or her application.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles currently issues approximately 900,000 original driver’s licenses annually, and estimates there will be an additional 1.4 million original driver’s license applicants over a three year period under the provisions of this act. To provide services to this added volume of original driver license applicants, the California Department of Motor Vehicles must undertake significant and costly activities, including, among others, the hiring of additional temporary staff, the training of existing and additional temporary staff, and obtaining and preparing new temporary facilities to process the applications.

The Legislature further finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The holder of a driver’s license issued pursuant to Section 12801.9 shall not by reason of that driver’s license be treated in a discriminatory manner pursuant to the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Section 51 of the Civil Code) or any other law.
(b) A driver’s license issued pursuant to Section 12801.9 shall not be used as evidence of the holder’s citizenship or immigration status, and shall not be used as a basis for a criminal investigation, arrest, or detention in circumstances where a person with a driver license that was not issued under Section 12801.9 would not be criminally investigated, arrested, or detained.

DriveCA.org, described on their site as “a statewide coalition comprised of a broad range of immigrants’ rights, faith-based, service and civil rights organizations working to ensure the successful implementation of California’s landmark driver’s license program for immigrants,” states:

“Up until 1994 all immigrants had access to a driver’s license in California, regardless of immigration status. They were able to get get to work, drive their children to school, and run everyday errands without the fear of being pulled over. After having the ability to apply for licenses revoked, they were left without any other option but to go on with their daily lives and drive without a license. Unfortunately, doing so has resulted in tickets, vehicle impoundments, arrests, and even deportations.For those and many other reasons, immigrants and their allies spent the past two decades organizing and fighting to restore access to licenses. The result of this mobilization was the passage of Assembly Bill 60, The Safe and Responsible Driver Act (AB 60) in 2013. Under this new law, any eligible California resident will be able to apply for a driver’s license, regardless of immigration status, beginning January 1, 2015! An AB 60 license will have a visible distinguishing feature and cannot be used for certain federal purposes, such as to enter restricted areas of federal facilities.

[DMV link.]