Nebraska Governor takes Arizona’s Lead, Denies Immigrant Dreamers Driver’s Licenses

Omaha, NE- Last Wednesday, ICE began accepting applications for deferred action for young immigrants, also called Dreamers. And now two states, Arizona and Nebraska, are pushing back by denying those, who are granted work visas, driver’s licenses and other public benefits.

Just days after Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said she would not allow immigrants granted deportation waivers under the new deferred action program to get a driver’s license or other public benefits, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman said he would also deny those privileges in his state, unless state law says otherwise, according to Fox Latino News.

“They shouldn’t be here if they are here illegally,” Heineman told reporters, “That’s the whole problem, and I have talked to you guys about this many, many times. When you don’t secure the border, have a speedier technological way to legal immigration, and you won’t address the issue that we’ve got 15 million illegal immigrants in the country right now we end up with these situations,” Fox reported.

Under deferred action an extension of the DREAM Act, which was repeatedly voted down in Congress, young immigrants would have the legal authorization to be in the country so states following in Gov. Brewer’s footsteps may face court challenges if they deny driver’s licenses.

The new policy allows young immigrants to apply for work visas and gives them a two year window to avoid deportation and apply for citizenship. Despite the rhetoric from anti-immigration groups and lawmakers, deferred action is not backdoor amnesty.

 Those who qualify will have to go through the same naturalization process as any other immigrants. These young people may find that the representation of an immigration lawyer can bolster their chances of obtaining citizenship.

Tags: Amnesty, Arizona Governor, Court Challenges, Dave Heineman, Deportation, Footsteps, Fox Latino, Governor Dave Heineman, Illegal Immigrants, Immigration Lawyer, Latino News, Lawmakers, Legal Authorization, Legal Immigration, Naturalization Process, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, Obtaining Citizenship, Two States, Waivers, Work Visas

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