Nebraska bans driver’s licenses for Illegal Immigrants

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by Dara Newson

Story Created: Dec 28, 2012 at 10:01 PM CDT

Story Updated: Dec 31, 2012 at 12:29 PM CDT

The state of Iowa has joined Nebraska in the battle to not issue driver licenses to young illegal immigrants. Some of who are now eligible to work under President Obama's federal program.

Michigan and Arizona also have denied the driving rights of young illegal immigrants.

So the question is how do those workers get to and from work?

In states like Nebraska and Iowa owning and driving a car isn't just transportation for some it's an open door for opportunity.

"Not allowing them to get their drivers licenses it prohibits them from maybe accepting certain kinds of employment, kids that are going to school whether they're in college or high school have to be able to drive," said Yolanda Chavez-Nuncio, Nebraska Latino American Commission.

Yolanda Chavez–Nuncio is the Chairwoman of the Nebraska Latino American Commission an advocacy group based in Lincoln.

Nebraska along with Iowa, Michigan and Arizona are the only four states in the country that refuse to issue vehicle licenses to illegal immigrants who are now eligible to work in the US under President Obama's deferred action program.

"We have seen applications get approved and kids receiving their cards their work authorization...driving and having that driving license may be a requirement of that position," said Chavez–Nuncio.

Nationwide more than twenty three thousand applications have already been accepted. And according to the Nebraska Latino American Commission they expect thousands more applications after January of 2013.

"Our governor talks so much about the children that we have in our state and how we have so much potential in the young people in our state," said Chavez–Nuncio

Governor Heinemann announced in August of 2012 that Nebraska would continue to deny licenses.

"The people that are directly affected by D.A.C.A are young people who were not given the choice to come to the United States to live. They were brought here. They have lived here for most of their lives and they have been in school they follow the law. They've not been in trouble they are trying to be good productive citizens," said Chavez–Nuncio

In the state of Nebraska only 14 applications have been submitted for the Deferred Action program.

But it went into effect just months before the presidential election.

Now that President Obama's in office the Nebraska Latino American Commission says they expect that number to surge.

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