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This House would give illegal immigrants drivers licenses
This House would give illegal immigrants drivers licenses
In 2007, Eliot Spitzer, Governor of New York proposed that all illegal immigrants in his state should be allowed to obtain drivers licenses[1]. At the time, it was estimated that between 500,000 and 1,000,000 illegal immigrants were residing in New York state[2], most of them driving on the roads despite a lack of a driver’s license. Spitzer proposed that instead of needing an American Social Security number to get a driver’s license, New York would also accept a foreign passport as adequate identification to obtain a license[3].
The move for giving illegal immigrants licenses is an issue that has arisen and re-arisen multiple times, especially in states with high illegal immigrant populations such as California[4]. However, American citizens are seemingly overwhelmingly against this policy[5] with over 70% of New Yorkers polling against this policy[6]. This creates a debate over what the impact of these licenses will be and how the public’s perception of this policy weighs up against these potential benefits. Currently, seven states in the US allow illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses: Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington[7].
[1] "Immigration: Let them drive." Economist 25 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.economist.com/node/10024818?story_id=10024818
[2] "Immigration: Let them drive." Economist 25 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.economist.com/node/10024818?story_id=10024818
[3] "Immigration: Let them drive." Economist 25 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.economist.com/node/10024818?story_id=10024818
[4] Nelson, Jennifer, "Illegal Immigrant Drivers' Licenses: Here We Go Again', 21 June 2004, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2004/06/21/...
[5] "Position Paper: No Drivers Licenses for Illegal Aliens." News Blaze. Realtime News, 23 Sep 2001. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. http://newsblaze.com/story/20070923120657tsop.nb/topstory.html
[6] Nelson, Jennifer. "Illegal Immigrant Drivers' Licenses: Here We Go Again." San Francisco Chronicle 21 June 2004, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2004/06/21/...
[7] "Position Paper: No Drivers Licenses for Illegal Aliens." News Blaze. Realtime News, 23 Sep 2001. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. http://newsblaze.com/story/20070923120657tsop.nb/topstory.html
Read more
| Points For | Points Against |
|---|---|
| The provision of driver’s licenses makes the streets safer. | This rewards law-breaking. |
| This allows illegal immigrants to get drivers insurance, which makes safer and fairer roads. | This will foster further resentment of the Hispanic community in America. |
| This is a gateway privilege that allows these people to integrate into American society. | This allows illegals to masquerade as normal immigrants. |
Remember to choose a winning argument!
The provision of driver’s licenses makes the streets safer.
Point
Offering drivers licenses to illegal immigrants makes the streets safer by giving drivers training to people who would otherwise be driving on the streets without adequate education. Unlicensed drivers are five times more likely to get into a fatal crash than licensed drivers[1].
A fact that needs to be acknowledged is that illegal immigrants have a necessity to drive and the vast majority will do so regardless of if they are given licenses or not. This is very dangerous both for them and for those who they share the road with as they are operating motor vehicles with a proper education on the rules of the road or any form of driving instruction or test to ensure that they can competently and safely drive on the streets[2].
Illegal immigrants are very likely to opt into this system of driver’s education and licensing because it is in their own interest to avoid breaking the law to avoid detection, but also because it is very much in their interest to get instruction on how to drive as they are as much a danger to themselves as they are to the rest of society when they drive without instruction[3].
Therefore, offering illegal immigrants driver’s licenses will help make the streets safer by giving drivers access to the education and instruction they need to be safe and competent drivers.
[1] "Immigration: Let them drive." Economist 25 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.economist.com/node/10024818?story_id=10024818
[2] "Immigration: Let them drive." Economist 25 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.economist.com/node/10024818?story_id=10024818
[3] "Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Aliens." Institute of Governmental Studies. UC Berkeley, n. d. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://igs.berkeley.edu/library/research/quickhelp/policy/social/immigra...
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Counterpoint
It is very unlikely that illegal immigrants will even opt into this scheme. Illegal immigrants are notoriously paranoid about going to the state for any form of assistance as they are afraid of deportation. The vast majority of them would rather risk getting caught driving without a license then they would risk going to the state as an illegal to receive a license in the first place.
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- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; text-align: -webkit-left; ">
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10024818">"Immigration. Let them drive." Economist.com. Oct 25th 2007 - "Unlicensed drivers are five times more likely to be in a fatal crash than licensed ones."
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; text-align: -webkit-left; ">
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E1DF163AF935A15752C1A9659C8B63">"Licenses for Illegal Immigrants". New York Times (opinion). November 26, 2003 - "Right now, many illegal immigrants drive cars with neither licenses nor car insurance. Everyone would be better off if they were encouraged to acquire the driving skills necessary to get the licenses, and the protection of other motorists that comes with insurance."
Counterargument
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; text-align: -webkit-left; ">
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/document.png); padding-right: 12px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://www.numbersusa.com/PDFs/DriversLicenses.pdf">"Rewards for Illegal Aliens – Driver’s Licenses". USA Education and Research Foundation - "Illegal-alien advocacy groups rely on the assertions below to justify the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. Each appears reasonable on its face, but none holds up under scrutiny.
- Myth 1: Illegal aliens are going to drive no matter what so issuing them licenses will improve the safety of our roads by ensuring that they have passed a driving test and purchased automobile insurance.
- In 2004, automobile accidents resulted in about 42,000 deaths and more than 100,000 injuries in the United States. The vast majority of the people involved in these accidents were licenses, insured drivers, so the correlation asserted by the advocates is tenuous at best. Moreover, most illegal aliens are low-wage workers who send a significant portion of their earnings to their home countries in the form of remittances. They have little incentive to spend their wages on car insurance, and even less incentive to wait for the police to arrive after an accident, since contact with law enforcement authorities could result in deportation. Finally, this suggestion that we just accept the inevitability of illegal aliens’ presence in the United States and treat them as lawful residents undermines our belief in law and fairness. No one would suggest that we not lock our doors because burglars are going to break in anyway.
This allows illegal immigrants to get drivers insurance, which makes safer and fairer roads.
Point
Insurance is a key component in making the streets safe for all drivers on the road. Allowing illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses allows them to gain driver’s insurance.
Driving absent insurance means that there is an incentive to drive off if you cause an accident to avoid having to pay for the damages you have caused and being criminally punished for driving without insurance. This leaves the other driver having to foot their own bill for the repairs to their vehicles[1]. Moreover, even if the uninsured driver stays at the scene, illegal immigrants are characteristically very poor as they must engage in exploitative work to make a wage because they must hide from the state and do not get the same protections from the state, so would still be unable to pay for the damages they have caused. Moreover, having uninsured drivers on the road increases insurance premiums for all insured drivers on the road, as they have to de-facto pay for the risk and damage these uninsured drivers cause[2].
Therefore, offering illegal immigrants driver’s licenses allows for more fair and accountable systems of insurance and driving conditions on the road.
[1] Confessore, Nicholas, and Danny Hakim. "Licenses for Immigrants Find Suppot." New York Times 09 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/nyregion/09license.html?ref=todayspaper
[2] Confessore, Nicholas, and Danny Hakim. "Licenses for Immigrants Find Suppot." New York Times 09 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/nyregion/09license.html?ref=todayspaper
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Counterpoint
This is a marginal impact at best. The vast majority of illegal immigrants will try to flee the scene of a crash because they would be worried that the police might be called in to investigate the crash and find out they are illegal and therefore deport them. Although this isn’t always a realistic expectation, it is an expectation that most people in the illegal immigrant community have because of their paranoia over the state pursuing them and wanting to deport them. This fear is only exacerbated by the anti-illegal immigrant rhetoric that permeates American society at present and makes them feel that the state will try to seek them out however they can to get rid of them.
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- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; text-align: -webkit-left; ">
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/10/illegal-immigra.html">"Illegal Immigrants, Driver's License Crash Into American Consensus". Wired Magazine. October 04, 2007 - "New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer loves a fight. But his policy to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, announced just weeks ago, has even his closest loyalists in a sweat. His reasoning is that denying immigrants the legal right to drive hasn't stopped them from driving. After all, they're already breaking the law just by being here. By driving illegally, they don't have insurance, which has contributed to more hit-and-run accidents as well as higher insurance premiums for everyone else."
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; text-align: -webkit-left; ">
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://media.www.clarksonintegrator.com/media/storage/paper280/news/2007/11/12/Opinion/Should.Illegal.Immigrants.Be.Granted.Driver.Licenses.In.New.York.State-3095228.shtml">Sam Gomez. "Should illegal immigrants be granted Driver Licenses in New York State?" Clarkson Integrator. December 12, 2007 - "The last real benefit of the policy change is the most obvious; safer streets. We all remember taking driver ed, the signs, parallel parking, three point turns, the works. Obviously, people who do not have to pass that rigorous rite of passage known as 'the driving test' aren't going to be well equipped to handle driving on congested roads. Not knowing the rules of the road aside, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that unlicensed drivers are five times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than validly licensed drivers. Clearly, safer roads would also be good for everybody."
Counterarguement
Providing drivers licenses to illegal immigrants will not make US roads safer While some argue that US roads will be made safer with illegal immigrants in possession of drivers licenses, this is not necessarily the case. If illegal immigrants break US laws to get into the country, why should they be expected to abide by driving laws when they obtain driver's licenses.
http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://0-corporate.lexisnexis.com.pacman.law.du.edu/news/corporate-counsel,compliance/cat200001_doc713023896.html">"Illegal immigrants and drivers licenses. Faulty logic." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri). December 8, 2007 - "The editorial 'Licensing illegals' (Dec. 1) and Bill McClellan's column 'Let's shoot for insured illegals, fewer voters' (Dec. 2) imply that if illegal aliens were licensed, they would purchase automobile insurance. I don't think that one can jump to that conclusion. If they are violating the law by being in this country, why assume that they will comply with state ordinances that require drivers to carry auto insurance? Furthermore, how are they obtaining license plates for their vehicles without proof of insurance? Unfortunately, lacking national identity cards, drivers licenses serve a multitude of identification functions; therefore, there should be reasonable limits placed on their issuance."
This is a gateway privilege that allows these people to integrate into American society.
Point
Drivers licenses are used a major form of identification in America and so granting illegal immigrants these forms of identification can help enfranchise one of the most exploited minorities in America.
Despite American feelings on illegal immigrants, they are there in their society, contribute to their communities and are a group of people that are routinely and unjustly exploited because of their lack of access to state protection. Despite popular opinion of this being a punishment for breaking their laws, these people operate like any other citizen in American society and are human beings who deserve to be treated as such and to be offered at least some level of protection for the fact that they are human and for what they contribute to America communities and society.
Providing these people with a proper form of identification, especially a driver’s license, which is almost universally accepted as an adequate form of identification to access services from the state and to interact with the rest of society. Specifically, this allows immigrant communities to not feel as though they are confined to an isolated area as they now can travel further distances to gain better employment without fear of being caught and thrown into jail[1]. Moreover, this allows them access to all services offered by the state that require identification such as voter registration.
Therefore, this helps enfranchise a group that is normally exploited in America society.
[1] "Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Aliens." Institute of Governmental Studies. UC Berkeley, n. d. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://igs.berkeley.edu/library/research/quickhelp/policy/social/immigrant_driver_licenses.html
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Counterpoint
These people do not deserve to use the services of the USA. They are not citizens, they are law-breakers and society has no obligation to make life easier or more comfortable for those who break the law. Regardless of their contributions to society or the economy, illegal immigrants have broken the law. The consequences of their breaches of the law should be remedied. If necessary, illegal immigrants should be punished in proportion to the harm that their act has caused. Under no circumstances should illegal acts allow these individuals to gain access to the status and legal privileges that citizenship confers.
Improve thisAppendix
Illegal immigrants that are currently residing in America are active members of American society. They typically lead productive and law-abiding lives consistent with American ideals. Their only illegal action was entering the United States. As such, efforts should be made to integrate them into American society, and providing them the option of obtaining driver's licenses is a good way of achieving this.
It is not feasible to deport millions of illegal immigrants from the United States It is not possible to deport between 10 and 12 million illegal immigrants. Therefore, integration is the best option. Offering illegal immigrants driver's licenses is in line with this course of action.
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; text-align: -webkit-left; ">
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/11/why-ny-drivers-.html">Clark Kent Ervin. "Why N.Y. driver's license plan might make us safer". USAToday. November 1, 2007 - "We can either ignore reality and make policy that flies in its face, or we can acknowledge reality and make policy that works around it. The reality is that the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already in this country will remain here, still more illegal immigrants are likely to come, and those illegal immigrants who can and wish to drive will do so."
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; text-align: -webkit-left; ">
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/02/10/MN144058.DTL">"IMMIGRATION: Life Without a License. Illegal immigrants want to be legal drivers." SFGate.com. February 10, 2002 - "Each weekday morning, Miguel B. leaves his Richmond home and drives his 6-year-old son to school before heading to work in San Leandro. It's a familiar routine for working parents everywhere, but for Miguel the daily drive has become nerve-wracking: He is an undocumented immigrant who no longer has a driver's license."..
Counterargument
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; ">
- Illegal immigrants should not be integrated into American society, but rather deported. The primary basis for this argument is that illegal immigrants are, inherently, in the United States illegally. On a purely legal basis, they should not be afforded legal documentation such as a driver's license, and should be deported. Beyond the legality, many argue that the presence of illegal immigrants is harmful economically and socially to lawful citizens, providing additional cause to moving away from integration and such measures as providing illegal immigrants with driver's licenses.
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/bullet.gif); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; ">
- Driver's licenses would have to be offered to ALL illegal immigrants (not just Mexican) - This debate often assumes that driver's licenses would simply be offered to illegal Mexican immigrants, with the claim that the US economy is dependent on these "productive" illegal immigrants. But, what about other groups of illegal immigrants that may be "less desirable"? What about an illegal immigrant from, for example, Iran? The problem is that the proposition tends to base its arguments off of only one particular group of illegal immigrants (Mexican immigrants constituted around 57% of the illegal immigrant population in 2007http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/document.png); padding-right: 12px; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/44.pdf">[1]), while seemingly denying the costs of accepting other groups of illegal immigrants into this program.
- http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; text-align: -webkit-left; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://www.danielcurran.com/2003/11/illegal-immigrant-drivers-licenses.php">FatherDan. "Illegal Immigrant Driver's Licenses - Help Me Out Here." November 19th, 2003 - "This is not about Mexicans. This is about Illegal Immigrants. Illegal Immigrants should be deported, not rewarded. There are those who will argue this IS about the Mexicans because they are workforce that is needed in California. Wrong. That arguement has to do with work visas, not driver's licenses and benefits. If you want to give a driver's license to an Illegal Immigrant then you had better not back peddle when the Syrian, Iraqi, Iranian, Lebanese, Saudi Arabian, [fill in country here] applicants get in line. Or do we pick and choose which Illegal Immigrant's we support?"
This rewards law-breaking.
Point
This policy rewards those who break the law and therefore is unjustified.
There are immigration policies for a reason, and to skirt them because you do not want to wait in line like everyone else does not entitle you to be treated on the same level as those who adhere to American laws and immigration procedures. Allowing illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses simply because they made it here is just rewarding them for being good at breaking our laws.
We have a moral obligation to continue to deny illegal immigrants the perks of citizenship because they have undermined the very laws and processes that citizenship relies on in America. Moreover, if we simply treat them the same as legal immigrants in our country, there is no deterrent left to stop people from just ignoring our immigrant processes and trying to immigrate illegally to avoid the queue.
Therefore, we shouldn’t give illegal immigrants drivers licenses because that simply rewards law-breaking and undermines the legal system and immigration policy we rely on.
Improve thisCounterpoint
There is a very big difference between rewarding people for breaking the law and taking positive action to prevent them being exploited and financially marginalised. The United States’ legal system supposedly exists to protect everyone resident within its borders – not just individuals possessing citizenship. Giving illegal immigrants basic access to very rudimentary things such as the driver’s education does not reward law-breaking or undermine the rule of law. Even if side opposition disagree with granting illegal immigrants any rights, this argument is still defeated by the beneficial consequences of ensuring that a much larger number of drivers have received training on the rules of the road. Under the resolution, America’s highways and cities will generally safer for both pedestrians and other drivers.
On the point of deterrence, there are already very large deterrents to trying to immigrate illegally. The trek is long, dangerous and controlled by violent groups on either side of the border. Bandits and people smugglers engage in robberies and people trafficking on the Mexican side; extremist groups such as the minutemen attempt to assault or shoot immigrants in transit from the American side. Not being able to get a driver’s license once here is not in any way a deterrent that holds any weight when put in context.
Being able to drive is a necessary skill in the US, where under-investment in public transport infrastructure has led to workers developing a dependence on private transport. The weak bargaining position of an immigrant seeking work would be completely undermined if she were unwilling to drive for or to her job. Even the most risk averse migrant labourer accepts that the possibility of being caught driving without a licence is a risk that they have no choice but to take.
Improve thisThis will foster further resentment of the Hispanic community in America.
Point
This policy will only further the resentment that exists for illegal immigrants in America, and will make life harder for the entire Hispanic community as a result.
It is no secret that the idea of granting illegal immigrants driver’s licenses is a very unpopular idea. In New York, for example, 70% of the electorate is against this policy[1]. Looking to California, not only are drivers licenses out of the question, but in 1994 the state passed a bill denying illegals access to welfare, healthcare and education by a 59% margin[2]. Resentment for the community is high and it is undeniable that this policy will be wildly unpopular with the vast majority of Americans.
The issue with Americans being unhappy with this policy is that they will channel their unhappiness toward all immigrant communities and the Hispanic community more generally. The concept of driver’s licenses especially fuels this hatred because Americans believe that this will allow them to “masquerade” as normal Americans and therefore will assume all Hispanics are these illegals that are masquerading as legal immigrants in their communities. This will only engender more hate and discrimination against these communities.
Therefore, this will seriously harm the Hispanic-American community by fuelling hatred against them in the American majority.
[1] "Immigration: Let them drive." Economist 25 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://www.economist.com/node/10024818?story_id=10024818
[2] "Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Aliens." Institute of Governmental Studies. UC Berkeley, n. d. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. http://igs.berkeley.edu/library/research/quickhelp/policy/social/immigra...
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Counterpoint
The state should never allow mob mentality to govern its policies and specifically should never let prejudice of its people allow the state to let exploitation and abuse of human beings go unaddressed. This resentment and assumption that all Hispanics are illegal immigrants leeching from the state is something that is already a perception that permeates US thought. This policy will at worst marginally increase that sentiment, and even if it does, the state has a duty to ignore blind hate and not let it drive state policy.
Improve thisAppendix
http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/08/17/news/top_stories/21_01_298_16_05.txt">"Study: Most Latinos oppose driver's licenses for illegal immigrants". NCTimes. August 16th, 2005 - "A majority of U.S. Latinos surveyed in a recent study oppose the idea of granting driver's licenses to undocumented residents, according to data released by the Pew Hispanic Center...Sixty percent of U.S.-born Latinos said they approved of laws that prohibit issuing licenses to undocumented immigrants"...
This allows illegals to masquerade as normal immigrants.
Point
Allowing illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses is a security issue for America.
Illegal immigrants are a threat to the US because they have not gone through the necessary background checks that all immigrants are supposed to go through before being allowed into the US to ensure that they are not going to harm American citizens.
Giving illegal immigrants documents that- as proposition argument three says- could grant them access to state services and to a wider range of private services is dangerous[1]. There is no way for frontline state and business staff to determine whether drivers licence holders are migrants who have undergone appropriate police screening, or criminals with a history of dishonest or exploitative behaviour. The resolution may, therefore, allow disreputable individuals to falsely claim to be normalised American citizens.
Alternatively, and more likely, the resolution will undermine the value and utility of state drivers licences – for Latin-American US citizens at the very least. As it becomes known that immigrants from the south bearing licences might be more likely to be dishonest, banks, stores and hospitals will become less willing to accept drivers licences as conclusive proof of a Latin-American individual’s identity.
If the degree to which service providers will trust a driving licence is reduced, the improvements to illegal immigrants’ quality of life that the resolution brings about will be short lived. Moreover, legally resident Latin-Americans will find that their lives become much more difficult. Service providers will adopt a stance of suspicion toward Latin-American individuals, assuming that a Latino-American’s driving licence offers no useful indication as to his immigration status and background. Therefore, this policy constitutes a large security threat to America and its citizens, and a significant danger to the integration and lifestyles of thousands of Latino-American individuals.
[1] "Position Paper: No Drivers Licenses for Illegal Aliens." News Blaze. Realtime News, 23 Sep 2001. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. http://newsblaze.com/story/20070923120657tsop.nb/topstory.html
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Counterpoint
The first problem with this argument is that it assumes that illegal immigrants are easily identifiable without a driver’s license. It is not like illegal immigrants walk around with a giant red sign that says “Potential Security Threat” at present, and that when we give them licenses they will finally get to put down their signs.
On this basis, the security risk presented by this policy is minimal. Moreover, for what security risk might exist, it is very easily mitigated or gotten rid of all together. For example, if identification is needed for access to something that is vulnerable to security threat, it is very easy for the government or relevant officials to say that the only sufficient form of ID is a passport instead of a license, due to the risk people may pose.
The additional harms identified by side opposition are the result of service providers’ discriminatory practices. Federal and state race equality laws prevent businesses and government employees from refusing service to individuals based on their physical characteristics or ethnicity. Therefore, official discrimination cannot exist. At best, this will simply be soft discrimination.
Improve thisAppendix
Driver's licenses for illegal immigrants undermines legal immigration - Offering illegal immigrants driver's licenses will unfairly subvert the process that all other immigrants have to go through to become legal citizens of a country.
http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/skins/monobook/external.png); padding-right: 13px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'x-small sans-serif'; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " title="http://www.sptimes.com/2004/04/09/Opinion/Don_t_reward_illegal_.shtml">Bob Dalzell. "Send them back. Re: Gov. Bush backs bill to license illegals." Letter to the editor, St. Petersburg Times. April 9, 2004 - "If [foreigners] want to become U.S. citizens, (and learn to speak our language while they're at it) then let them do it the way millions of other immigrants have in the past. Let them earn the privilege instead of rewarding them for their illegal behavior.
Counterargument
Offering illegal immigrants drivers licenses is a national security threat - Many terrorists, including 9/11 terrorists, obtained driver's licenses as a means to perform their acts of terrorism. They used driver's licenses to move more freely around the United States, and to get onto the airplanes that were used in the 9/11 attacks. Driver's licenses, therefore, are a primary tool for terrorists or any individual that may pose a national security threat of some kind. While illegal immigrants should not generally be viewed as terrorists or national security threats, the poor background information on them, that they are foreign in origin, and that they illegally crossed a national boundary may make them more likely terrorists suspects than other groups. This should lead America to the conclusion that offering illegal immigrants driver's licenses poses national security risk
Voting Results
Bibliography
Confessore, Nicholas, and Danny Hakim. "Licenses for Immigrants Find Suppot." New York Times 09 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/nyregion/09license.html?ref=todayspaper>.
"Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Aliens." Institute of Governmental Studies. UC Berkeley, n. d. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <http://igs.berkeley.edu/library/research/quickhelp/policy/social/immigrant_driver_licenses.html>.
"Immigration: Let them drive." Economist 25 Oct 2007, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <http://www.economist.com/node/10024818?story_id=10024818>.
Nelson, Jennifer. "Illegal Immigrant Drivers' Licenses: Here We Go Again." San Francisco Chronicle 21 June 2004, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2011. <http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2004/06/21/jnelson.DTL>.
"Position Paper: No Drivers Licenses for Illegal Aliens." News Blaze. Realtime News, 23 Sep 2001. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. <http://newsblaze.com/story/20070923120657tsop.nb/topstory.html>.
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