# Do illegal immigrants have it made? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129 "2014-05-10T16:07:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129/61 "2014-05-18T14:31:02Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Hmm. The last two in my family were both in the 1990s. One was to a person with permanent resident status, but the other was a green card marriage, although it worked, and they are still married. It led to a kind of unusual situation that I’m surprised never became a sit-com. We probably could have gotten away with it (if it hadn’t have been for those meddling kids…). We just want to make extra sure the eyes were dotted and the tees crossed, because in the post 9/11 world, you can be barred even from visiting the country. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129/62 "2014-09-11T19:15:57Z")
> [@SarahRodriguez](#): > > …In our state they do not give drivers licences to illegals. I have heard of this being done in other states, but not that many… Bumping this thread with a question. What are the arguments, pro and con, for permitting illegal/undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses? I’ve been wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129/63 "2014-09-11T20:03:21Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Bumping this thread with a question. > > What are the arguments, pro and con, for permitting illegal/undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses? I’ve been wondering. 1. In theory, they can get out of the country faster in a car. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129/64 "2014-09-11T21:17:21Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Bumping this thread with a question. > > What are the arguments, pro and con, for permitting illegal/undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses? I’ve been wondering. They won’t be undocumented anymore, once they have a state issued driver’s license. They will have to present some kind of proof of age and identity when they apply for it, so it practically becomes a sting operation to offer them licenses. “Undocumented immigrant with a driver’s license (that isn’t forged)” is an oxymoron. Now, they are still illegal, which makes me think not many will apply unless it comes with some kind of amnesty. But there certainly are other advantages, such as being able to track their driving records, threaten them with revocation if they let their insurance lapse. I don’t know how big a problem illegals who drink and drive, or otherwise disobey road laws are-- probably they are pretty scrupulous about obeying traffic laws, because they don’t want a traffic stop to end up in deportation; getting them documented in a way that doesn’t confer legal immigration status is probably the biggest advantage. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129/65 "2014-09-11T21:22:00Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Bumping this thread with a question. > > What are the arguments, pro and con, for permitting illegal/undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses? I’ve been wondering. Pro - they can drive, be tracked in their driving, buy insurance, etc. Con - creates an official ID that makes it appear that they are here legally. It is really a State vs Federal issue. The state can’t deport, in some cases won’t work with the Feds, and just wants the state to run better. Give them a license, hopefully reduce the traffic issues. The Feds don’t want us recognizing, except when we are required to educate those here illegally, plus add in the ER costs for those without health insurance. I will never state that they have it made. Here in California, they qualify for instate tuition. We even had one finish law school, pass the bar, be admitted to the bar - but is in the US illegally: > **[No green card? No problem – undocumented immigrant can practice law, court...](https://www.cnn.com/2014/01/02/justice/california-immigrant-lawyer/)** > > Sergio Garcia, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, can be admitted to the state bar and practice law in California, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The cost of taking care of the illegal immigrants can be high, which might trigger the “they have it made” line of crap: > **[Texas schools pressed to accommodate influx of young immigrants](https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-texas-immigrants-school-20140911-story.html#page=1)** > > A year ago, the Las Americas Newcomer Middle School serving the low-income Gulfton neighborhood started the semester with 150 immigrant and refugee students. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129/66 "2014-09-11T21:58:12Z")
From everything I hear, they aren’t given an opportunity for a license because it’s “giving them a reward for being illegal”. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129/67 "2014-09-11T22:00:08Z")
Wouldn’t the cost be a lot lower if they were given the opportunity to become legalized citizens in some way? I mean, I can understand how it might encourage more to come, but once they’re here legally why would it matter if they come? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-illegal-immigrants-have-it-made/688129.md?page=3)