Judge Says DREAMers In Arizona Can Keep Driver's Licenses

A federal judge ruled that Arizona must keep issuing driver’s licenses to young undocumented immigrants protected by Obama’s executive action.

A line stretches outside an Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office.

Ross D. Franklin / AP

U.S. District Court Judge David G. Campbell said the denial of driver's licenses caused "irreparable harm" to the immigrants, also known as DREAMers.

His decision made permanent his December order admonishing Arizona from enforcing its ban on driver's licenses for the more than 20,000 immigrants who were able to receive two-year work permits under President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012.

DREAMers were able to get driver's licenses last month after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a decision by 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in favor of the DREAMers in July before sending the case back to the U.S. District Court of Arizona, to lift the ban.

Campbell cited the circumstances of some of the seven undocumented immigrants who were plaintiffs in the case. One was unable to become an EMT because the fire department required a driver's license to hire him. Another plaintiff had to turn down a job partly because she couldn't drive.

Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer had issued an executive order prohibiting anyone approved under Obama's program from receiving any state benefits, which includes driver's licenses.

That prompted the Arizona Dream Act Coalition to file a lawsuit on behalf of the undocumented immigrants, setting the stage for what has been a two-year legal battle.

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