They’re Still Fighting To Give Illegal Aliens Driver’s Licenses In New Jersey

When I last blogged about this issue in August 2018 a reader commented “who ever wrote this is an idiot.” Obviously, the reader favors illegal aliens getting driver’s licenses.

Back then I wrote, “If you don’t believe giving drivers license to illegal immigrants brings crime, you are an idiot. I lived in New Mexico for several years. I followed the stories as they happened,” and cited two different instances of folks charging illegal aliens to help them fraudulently obtain driver’s licenses in New Mexico.

Apparently, the fact that allowing those living in the country illegally to obtain driver’s licenses in New Jersey makes it easier for people who don’t care much about the law to create new crimes to commit doesn’t matter to some.

Just this week USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey reported:

Immigrants and their advocates are continuing to pressure lawmakers for a vote on a measure that would allow undocumented immigrants and others without paperwork to apply for driver’s licenses.

Those pushing to allow illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses make the usual arguments, like increasing public safety and bolstering the state’s economy, even arguing that illegal aliens getting driver’s licenses “would bring $9 million in revenue to the state in the form of registration and licensing fees.”

One of the more ridiculous arguments in favor of allowing illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses comes from my favorite part of the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey story:

"Restricting who is allowed to legally drive also has a chilling effect on the families and children of those who do not have the documents necessary to receive a driver’s license,'' Nava wrote in the report. "In New Jersey, 168,000 children have undocumented parents who cannot drive them to and from school, their doctor's appointments, sports games and practices, and other activities and errands parents make with their children." 

The obvious question is how can one drive legally when they are here illegally? Isn’t allowing one who is here illegally to legally drive simply rewarding bad behavior? And, if 168,000 children have “undocumented” parents isn’t the problem the parents not doing things legally in the first place?

According to the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey article, those who disagree with illegal aliens being permitted to obtain driver’s license make the usual argument that it, “prioritizes immigrants without legal status above everyone else.” In other words, it rewards bad behavior.

Back in August of 2018 I attempted to make the argument that the practice creates a whole new criminal industry and pointed to two separate instances. I thought maybe I was wrong in my argument because the examples I cited were both in New Mexico, but apparently the same thing happens closer to home.

In Vermont, an “interpreter confessed to posting advertisements for the service in stores and on Facebook. She claimed she and a partner collected $1,000 per application.”

In Maryland, “the state issued hundreds of fraudulent driver’s licenses designed for immigrants in the country without legal documentation, a recent audit found. Two Motor Vehicle Administration Workers were fired as a result.”

There were six guys arrested in Illinois for trying to fraudulently obtain driver’s licenses.

My point is that there are many instances of criminals making money where illegal immigrants can obtain driver’s licenses. If you think that can’t happen in New Jersey, you are an idiot. Maybe it’s time we do something right in New Jersey and not reward illegal aliens for bad behavior.