The editorial board of the largest newspaper in North Carolina says it agrees with the ACLU of North Carolina that calls for an Arizona-style "show me your papers" anti-immigrant law in the Tar Heel state are "problematic, punitive and unnecessary," but that the state should advance an already growing conversation about the benefits that could come from allowing undocumented immigrants to become licensed and insured drivers.
Last week, the state's Department of Public Safety released a 50-page report at the request of state legislators that examines several immigration policy proposals raised in last year's General Assembly session, including many harsh enforcement provisions, such as a "show me your papers" law and a plan to have undocumented prisoners pay for their own incarceration, that the ACLU-NC opposes, and one, extending legal driving privileges to undocumented immigrants, that the ACLU-NC supports.
In an editorial today, The Charlotte Observer highlighted the report's many reasons why harsh anti-immigrant enforcement measures would make for bad public policy in North Carolina: they would invite costly litigation, they would increase administrative costs for holding undocumented prisoners, and the state would face losing money the federal government already pays the state for incarceration of undocumented immigrants.
The Observer's editorial board went on to highlight the study's conclusion that making licenses available for undocumented immigrants "should lead to safer driving in North Carolina" by motivating drivers to become insured and comply with traffic laws.
In an interview with the Associated Press, ACLU-NC Staff Attorney Raul Pinto stated many of these same conclusions -- and the Observer said Pinto was right:
American Civil Liberties Union attorney Raul Pinto said last week that this study’s conclusion “was a good start for discussions between community and legislators” on further extending such privileges. We agree.
As for “anti-immigrant provisions... such as ‘show me your papers,’” Pinto has it right again, noting that “this study categorically states that those provisions are costly and unnecessary.” N.C. lawmakers should stop pursuing them.