Letters: Opposed to new driver's licenses
Patrick Young, program director of the Central American Refugee Center, speaks at a rally celebrating National Voter Registration Day. (Sept. 24, 2013) Credit: Newsday / Karen Wiles Stabile
The article "Renewing push for driver's licenses" [News, Jan. 10] talks about giving licenses to people in the country illegally.
An advocate from the Central American Refugee Center is quoted as saying that a driver's license is needed "to take their kids to school, to go to church . . . or to visit family members."
What he forgot to mention is that this would allow people here illegally to drive to jobs or to have jobs requiring a driver's license. It is illegal for these people who knowingly broke our laws to enter and stay in this country and to have jobs. For every job held by someone in this country illegally, that's one less American who has work. At this time when millions are without work and President Barack Obama has asked to extend unemployment benefits, do we need more workers here illegally?
Having a driver's license is not a right but a privilege, even for citizens, let alone immigrants. A driver's license has become a de facto form of universal identification, used to get on airplanes and apply for government benefits.
To proclaim that immigrants here illegally should have the same privilege to a driver's license as an American citizen is a travesty. If immigration rules were enforced, we would not have this problem, and more Americans would have jobs.
Robert F. LaPorta, Dix Hills
Allowing immigrants here illegally to obtain New York State drivers' licenses defies all logic. How can one be here illegally and legally drive a car?
Ronald Enners, West Babylon
