Illegal immigrants should be held accountable for their actions and contributions in this country. And one way to start this process is by giving them driver's licenses.
On Sept. 5, former California Gov. Gray Davis signed a measure that brought the entire Hispanic community together.
SB 60 will give nearly 2 million illegal immigrants living in California a chance to obtain a driver's license. This means they can get insurance on their vehicles, avoid costly tickets if they are stopped by police and can't show American identification, and apply for jobs they would not otherwise be able to get.
"The immigration problem is too big to ignore. If we give them driver's licenses, at least we can keep track of these people, and it's a good means of identification for both sides," said Angel Reyes, a Phoenix resident whose parents came from Mexico.
Critics of Davis' move said he was just trying to win approval among Hispanic voters in a last attempt to save his job.
There's one problem with this logic: Illegal immigrants can't vote, and registered Mexican Americans already have their licenses. Davis lost his job anyway, and illegal immigrants now have more rights.
But with Davis out and newly elected Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in, the bill hangs in the political balance. Schwarzenegger has said he intends to repeal the law.
He's Austrian, right? The same Austria that borders the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Germany and Switzerland?
Doesn't he know borders don't always keep people out?
California is not the only state looking to alleviate the economic discrepancies caused by such an influx of immigration from Mexico.
Unlike California, legislators in Nevada have approved two laws allowing the motor vehicle department to deny driver's licenses to anyone who cannot show proper identification. These, along with the Davis' decision, will go into effect in January.
It will be interesting to see what the effects are from two different approaches to the problem.
We must ask: What should Arizona do?
If we follow California's lead and decide to give illegal immigrants driver's licenses, some argue we'll be making matters worse since illegal immigration drains our economy and takes advantage of state taxpayers.
Though I understand this argument, it makes me nervous to think that almost 7 million people can walk around within our borders, unidentifiable.
If these people cause car accidents, they should be held accountable. If they commit crimes, there should be a way to contact them, fine them or track them down. Being in this country not only provides job opportunities, but also civic responsibilities.
Arizona has one of the highest rates of increase of illegal immigration, according to CNN.com.
California's got the right idea. Keeping track of the illegal immigrants in our state does not equate to encouraging illegal immigration.
As long as the United States needs cheap labor and the Mexican economy doesn't improve, they'll just keep coming. With licenses, at least we'll know with whom we are dealing.
Catherine Portillo is a journalism senior. Reach her at catherine.portillo@asu.edu.