CALIFORNIA
Immigrants fighting to regain driving rights
By Adrian Garcia
Los Angeles
In yet another reactionary assault against undocumented
workers in California, the Democratic-controlled State Assembly
voted overwhelmingly in early December to overturn a law that
would have allowed undocumented workers to obtain driver's
licenses.
Last Oct. 7 Gov. Gray Davis had signed SB 60, the law that
was overturned, before he was ousted in the infamous recall
election that brought in Arnold Schwarz eneg ger as the new
governor of California. Davis had failed to sign a similar bill
in 2002 after promising to do so, claiming it did not provide
"safeguards against terrorism."
The same scapegoating tactic, now used by Gov.
Schwarzenegger, was instrumental in overturning SB 60.
The law would have implemented less stringent requirements
for receiving a license to drive. Anyone living in Calif ornia
could have obtained a driver's license by presenting a federal
individual tax identification number and forms of
identification other than a Social Security number, which is
currently required.
The Social Security requirement was instituted in 1993 under
the tutelage of Gov. Pete Wilson's campaign against
California's undocumented workers. The tightening of driver's
license requirements was a means of preventing undocumented
families from receiving government benefits such as welfare and
medical care. For decades before 1993, anyone residing and
working in California was eligible to receive a driver's
license.
"Repeal of Senate Bill 60 with the direct assistance and
collaboration of Gil Cedillo [the bill's author] and Fabian
Nunez, members of the Assembly and representatives of immigrant
communities in East Los Angeles, represents a serious setback
for immigrants' rights," commented Juan Jose Gutierrez,
coordinator of Latino Movement USA.
Gutierrez stressed that the repeal will serve to bolster
reactionary forces in Calif ornia to continue their
exploitation of immigrants and workers. Gutierrez also warned
that Republicans in the state are engineering a campaign to
revive the egregious policies targeting immigrants promoted
under Proposition 187, which was overturned by California
courts as unconstitutional.
Proposition 187 was meant to deny health care and education
to the children of undocumented immigrants. According to
Gutierrez, Republican strategists claim to have obtained
600,000 signatures to put a similar proposition on the ballot
in November 2004.
Latino Movement USA and others are mounting an offensive
against the reactionary forces. A march and rally is planned
for Feb. 28, with another to follow on March 2. A third
demonstration is being planned for October. The struggle will
be taken to the streets.
"Immigrants will not accept being the modern-day slaves of
the capitalist ruling class," said Gutierrez.
Reprinted from the Dec. 18, 2003, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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