Currently, if you get pulled over in California and are found to be driving without a license, the police can tow your vehicle – but that is soon to stop.
According to a Fox News report, a new law is set to take effect in California come the start of 2012 – a law aimed at restoring rights to illegal immigrants who drive in the U.S. without a valid driver’s license.
The new law was introduced by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, a Los Angeles Democrat who is known for previously failing to restore the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants following the revoking of said privilege statewide in 1993. According to the lawmaker, this new bill is intended to reduce financial hardship on those who can’t afford or obtain a valid California driver’s license.
As it stands now, when law enforcement check driver’s sobriety at random checkpoints they can impound cars from driver’s solely based on the fact that they are an unlicensed driver – this applies to both citizens and non-citizens. That will change come January 1, 2012.
Cedillo argued that transportation is essential to enabling workers to get to and from work, and for illegal immigrants who often struggle financially and cannot obtain a valid driver’s license, the impound and towing fees that often break the $1,000 barrier can be devastating.
The overturn isn’t being supported by all, however, as Jim Maher, chief of police for San Diego-suburb Escondido shared his thoughts on the new law, “It’s a terrible law, really disappointing.”
Maher has been at the center of some controversy since taking his post in 2006, having forged close alliances with organizations such as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement as part of a plan to reduce illegal immigration in his area.
Maher’s department has turned over 670 people to ICE since May 2010 when their partnership was formed, having towed 1,000 vehicles from unlicensed drivers – both legal and illegal residents of California. Following the uptick in sobriety checkpoints, apps have been created that notify drivers via social media of said locations, allowing both unlicensed drivers and those who may be operating a vehicle under the influence to dodge the screening altogether.
Escondido police have also had to deal with protestors standing along the road before the checkpoints with signs warning drivers of the upcoming checkpoint, allowing them to turn off and avoid being screened for illegal driving activity.
References
1.’California to ban…’ view
