Restricting Rights of Immigrants
Sponsor: Sen. Haugen
The proposal would have changed Washington’s law to require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence in order to obtain a state-issued driver's license. The bill would have wrongly allowed discrimination against individuals based on their country of origin and status, rather than affirming their authority and ability to drive safely – which is the purpose of the driver’s license. It would have made our roads and highways less safe, as individuals who need to drive to get to jobs would likely continue to do so, but without passing government safety exams.
Several other unsuccessful measures were introduced aiming to restrict the rights of immigrants or would encourage local law enforcement to help enforce federal immigration law. Overall, such measures have a negative impact on the health of communities, as they foster distrust of local government. Many police chiefs and sheriffs oppose assuming responsibility for immigration law enforcement because they recognize it would make their job of protecting public safety more difficult.
