DMV holds public hearings on driver's licenses for immigrants

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The California Department of Motor Vehicles held a public hearing Tuesday to discuss rules for illegal immigrants to receive a driver's license. Tuesday's meeting focused on the documents immigrants will need to prove their identity and state residency. DMV officials proposed using a foreign passport or consular identification.

California approved AB60, which will give driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally. State officials believe almost 1.5 million people will apply in the first three years. Another DMV public hearing will be held Thursday in Oakland.

Dozens gathered for a rally and a march Tuesday to let DMV officials know they want to be able to get their driver's licenses. But they say some of the documents required might be impossible to get, and they need other options.

"They're not asking for documents that people don't have access because they are in their home country or because foreign country consulates don't provide," said Angelica Salas, director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).

"LAUSD could work with us by providing us an identification that will give us the possibility to apply for a driver's license," said L.A. resident Isabel Medina.

"Some kind of an ID from a church or a letter to show identification or residency," proposed one man at the public hearing on Tuesday.

But some people feel that could leave it open to fraud and possibly people bringing in fake IDs to get these licenses.

"This documentation should meet the standards that American citizens have to meet when we apply for a driver's license," said one woman at the public hearing.

Another concern is what the new licenses will look like. The new license needs to be easily distinguishable from driver's licenses held by legal residents, which are valid for federal purposes, Department of Homeland Security officials said.

"I have myself seen so many documents that have been falsified: either U.S. documents, Social Security cards, driver's licenses," said Orange County resident Denise Aliberti.

Aliberti worked in a financial institution and says if kids can get fake IDs, so will adults.

"The reason why the DMV will not be successful to verify all this documentation that's coming through is because they will be accused of discriminating," said Aliberti.

The DMV expects to begin issuing these licenses in January.

California is one of 11 states that has approved issuing driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.