FREE//GRATUITO
Vol. 44 No. 13
Published by Acción Latina
Julio 3–16, 2014
LAW GREEN LIGHTS LICENSES TO UNDOCUMENTED LEY OTORGA LICENCIAS A INDOCUMENTADOS but concerns loom ALEXIS TERRAZAS El TECOLOTE
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he landmark California Assembly Bill 60—which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2015—will finally grant the state's undocumented immigrants a shot at a driver’s license, but many remain skeptical of the new law. While proponents of AB60 say that more licensed drivers would make for safer California roadways, the skeptics are worried that information submitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. “Some people are saying that this is a trap, that we’re going to share information with ICE, or that law enforcement is out to get them. That’s absolutely not true,” said Lizette Mata, the DMV’s deputy director of special projects, who attended a June 21 AB60 educational forum in Redwood City. “We’re making sure that that doesn’t happen. We’re not going to share their information.” There are other concerns as well. During the AB60 public hearings on June 24 and 26 in Los Angeles and Oakland, respectively, scores of people testified that the documents needed to prove identity— one of the DMV requirements before applying—would be too expensive to obtain. Under the current draft, the DMV provides four options to prove one's identity, three of which require multiple forms of identifications, such as a passport or a Consulate ID.
THE LICENSE’S AVAILABLE + Class C + Motorcycle STEPS NECESSARY TO APPLY + Establish identity with DMV + Prove California residency (at least 6 months) + Get printout of driving record ($5) using DMV “X” number + Make appointment for writing test (can schedule as early as Nov. 17) WAYS TO PROVE IDENTITY + Consulate ID + Mexican Id card + Tax records + Out-of-state driver’s license + Passports + Marriage and divorce records + School records WAYS TO PROVE CA RESIDENCY + Rental property papers + PG&E bills + Phone bills GENERAL INFO + Cost is $33 (same as standard license) + Make sure to clear driving record before applying + Can take the test 3 times + DMV handbooks are free and are available in 11 languages online and in field offices + Practice tests can be found online at http://www.dmv.ca.gov + Check DMV website frequently for updates + The license is not proof of citizenship or a visa or a worker’s permit
Marco Negrete, cónsul de asuntos comunitarios del Consulado Mexicano en San Francisco, difunde la información respecto a las nuevas licencias, durante un foro educativo en Redwood City. Marco Negrete, consul of community affairs at the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco, spreads the word about the new licenses at an educational forum in Redwood City. Photo Alejandro Galicia
“We’re really hopeful that the DMV will be receptive to these concerns because there were so many who voiced them,” said Daisy Vieyra, communications associate at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California, who attended the hearing in Oakland. “We’re optimistic with the DMV, the overall process and the implementation of the law. At the heart of the law, we’re talking about improving people’s lives, allowing people to finally drive to and from school or work without fear of having their car impounded.” Another issue that arose during the Redwood City forum concerned the actual design of the driver’s license. Though the license won’t label someone's legal immigration status outright, it will require a mark that will differentiate it from ordinary licenses to comply with federal law. “The majority of people don’t like that. I don’t that much either,” said Brenda (who declined to give her last name), an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who’s lived in San Mateo for nine years and attended the forum. “But it’s still a win; it’s still an advancement.” The state is requesting that the mark remain small. But size aside, the mark has some worried of potential discrimination. “I think their biggest concern is,”Will this license completely protect me from discrimination?’ Unfortunately, nothing can protect you from discrimination,” said Mata. “However, this license will allow you to be able to drive lawfully. And it will protect you in that, if you are discriminated against just because you have this license, there’s language in the law where you can go to an attorney and they will be able to assist you, because cops aren’t supposed to be doing that.” Still, despite concerns, the law has many hopeful. “We saw this as an important advancement of human rights for all people in California,” said Marco Negrete, consul of community affairs at the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco. “For me personally, I think that it was time. It was a relief. Because the law makes all the sense in the world. In the United States, you need to
a histórica ley 60 de la Asamblea de California —la cual entrará en efecto el 1 de enero de 2015— finalmente ofrecerá la posibilidad de adquirir licencias de conducir a los indocumentados del estado; sin embargo, muchos permanecen escépticos. Mientras que los simpatizantes de la AB60 dicen que más conductores con licencia harán los caminos de California más seguros, los escépticos están preocupados de que la información proporcionada al Departamento de Vehículos Motorizados (DMV) sea compartida con agentes de Inmigración (ICE). “Algunos están diciendo que es una trampa… que vamos a compartir la información con ICE, o que la policía va a detenerlos. Eso es absolutamente falso”, dijo Lizette Mata, directora de proyectos especiales del DMV, quien asistió a un foro educativo sobre la AB60 el pasado 21 de junio en Redwood City. “Nos estamos asegurando de que eso no pase. No vamos a compartir su información”. Aparte de eso, hay otras preocupaciones. Durante las audiencias públicas de la AB60 el 24 y 26 de junio en Los Ángeles y Oakland, respectivamente, decenas de personas testificaron que la documentación necesaria para probar su identidad —uno de los requisitos del DMV para aplicar—
See ab60, page 4
Vea licencias, página 4
pero persisten preocupaciones ALEXIS TERRAZAS El TECOLOTE
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LICENCIAS DISPONIBLES + Clase C + Motocicleta PASOS PARA APLICAR + Establecer identidad con el DMV + Probar residencia en el estado de California (desde los últimos 6 meses) + Obtener historial de manejo ($5) utilizando el número X del DMV + Hacer cita para el examen escrito (se puede hacer en Nov. 17) MANERAS DE PROBAR LA IDENTIDAD + Identificación consular + Identificación mexicana + Récords de impuestos + Licencias de conducir de otros estados + Pasaportes + Actas de matrimonio o de divorcio + Récords escolares MANERAS DE PROBAR SU RESIDENCIA + Contratos de renta + Recibos de PG&E + Recibos de teléfono INFORMACIÓN GENERAL + Costará $33 (lo mismo que una licencia regular) + Limpiar el récord antes de aplicar para la licencia + Se puede tomar el examen 3 veces + Los manuales del DMV son gratuitos y están disponibles en 11 idiomas, en Internet y en las oficinas + Exámenes de práctica están en el Internet: http://www.dmv.ca.gov + Consultar la página de internet frecuentemente + La licencia no es una autorización migrato ria, un permiso de trabajo, ni una visa