It's time to require proof of citizenship to get driver's license

This editorial appears in the Aug. 22, 2010, Yakima Herald-Republic.

Washington, New Mexico and Utah are the only states in the nation that do not require proof of citizenship when someone applies for a driver's license.

What this state does require is proof of identity, state residency and a Social Security number. A compelling argument for turning a blind eye to proof of citizenship is to encourage those who drive a vehicle to carry a valid license and be knowledgeable about the rules of the road. These newly licensed drivers would also be expected to acquire automobile insurance, which is a requirement if they drive on state highways.

But a driver's license is far more than a good-driver seal of approval. It's an identification card that opens doors otherwise closed to immigrants, especially those who want to defraud the government.

Proof of citizenship is required to apply for food stamps and Medicaid, a federal program that pays for health care for low-income families with children. However, it's not a requirement for this state's child health care, pregnancy assistance or emergency medical treatments.

Several years ago, the state Department of Social and Health Services concluded that undocumented immigrants were not defrauding the government in any substantial numbers.

But the landscape has changed dramatically since the recent crackdowns on illegal immigration in Arizona and elsewhere. Washington has seen a surge of immigrants seeking IDs, as have New Mexico and Utah.

According to an Associated Press analysis of the three states, the rate of licenses being issued to immigrants during the 10 weeks that followed passage of the Arizona law revealed a 60 percent increase over the annual average from last year.

For Washington, the number of licenses being issued to immigrants is on track to outpace last year's figure. About 3,200 licenses were granted through June, compared to 5,992 for all of 2009.

In New Mexico, which borders Arizona, the numbers are staggering. The state has issued roughly 417 licenses a week from the moment Arizona passed its law. That's up from 323 per week before the law was passed.

In Utah, it's the same song, though that state's driver's license only carries driving privileges. It can not be used for such things as boarding a plane, getting a job or buying alcohol.

These statistics point to a problem that is only going to worsen absent any move by Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform -- something that would include tighter border security, a counterfeit-proof ID card and help for seasonal farm labor needs. But lawmakers appear to be far more interested in partisan bickering than meaningful debate on this issue, so reform remains a distant hope.

We have, in the past, favored a licensing process that teaches applicants to drive safely and requires them to possess a photo ID that law enforcement can track.

But this recent surge of applicants by immigrants is alarming. A driver's license should not be used as a gold card for access to our airports. That's an intolerable breach to public safety. It should also not be used to fraudulently access the state's increasingly overburdened safety net of benefits.

Since a license has become something more than a way of extending driving privileges and is now critical to a person's identification, state lawmakers should require applicants to provide proof of citizenship. That lifts the veil of doubt and restores confidence to what has become a flawed process.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are James E. Stickel, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.