Urgent action required to defend Oregon's law

From: Tyler Moran [mailto:NILC [at] mail.democracyinaction.org]
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 10:01 AM
To: Larisa
Subject: [immigrant_license] Urgent action required to defend Oregon's law


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Driver's License


Urgent Action Alert



Please send all email responses to moran [at] nilc.org.


Hello everyone - Please take time today to lend support to immigrant communities in
Oregon who will likely lose their access to driver's licenses tomorrow. See alert
from CAUSA below.
Tyler
________________________________
URGENT ACTION ALERT
November 14, 2007

Dear Immigrant rights supporter:

We just learned that Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski is planning to issue an
executive order THIS FRIDAY that would bar Oregon's undocumented immigrants from
accessing a driver's license.

Under the Governor's proposed executive order, DMV would limit the documents
accepted to get a driver's license, eliminating undocumented immigrants use to
qualify such as the Matricula card or foreign birth certificates. Currently under
Oregon law, all residents of Oregon -regardless of legal status- can obtain a
driver's license, a important public safety policy.

Currently, there are over 120,000 undocumented immigrants in Oregon, many of whom
drive on Oregon's roads to get to work, buy groceries, and take their kids to
school. As a result of Governor Kulongoski's proposed executive order, these drivers
would not be allow to take drivers classes or pass driving tests, will not be able
to get insurance, and will be more likely to be involved in a potentially fatal
accident. Studies show that licensing drivers prevents accidents and insurance
losses as drivers are tested, registered and photographed. Likewise, licensing and
law enforcement agencies are better able to track unsafe drivers.

Restricting driver's license access also erodes community trust. Rather than
increasing security, driver's license restrictions would result in a situation where
immigrants fear discrimination and being reported to ICE. They therefore would avoid
contact with law enforcement and are less likely to report crimes and assist local
law enforcement fight criminal and terrorist activity. This decreases community
trust and infringes upon efforts to fight crime and save lives.

TAKE ACTION NOW and tell Governor Kulongoski that all Oregon residents, regardless
of immigration status, should have access driver's licenses for the sake of public
safety.

We are calling on all immigrant rights supporters to flood the Governor's phone,
fax, and email with messages.

Tell him: "I urge you to support driver's license access for all residents of Oregon"
Phone: 503-378-4582
Fax: 503.378.6827
Or send a message online: http://www.governor.state.or.us/Gov/contact_us.shtml
(sample message
below)

Subject: Protect public safety--preserve driver's license access for all Oregon
Residents

Dear Governor Kulongoski,

I urge you to suspend your action in passing an executive order that limits
documents Oregon residents can use to obtain a driver's license. Denying licenses to
immigrants puts public safety at risk and makes Oregon's roads unsafe.

The fact is driver's licenses protect lives. Unlicensed drivers can't get insurance
and are less likely to stick around after an accident. With an average of 14 percent
of all accidents caused by drivers without insurance, it is not difficult to see how
uninsured motorists cause over $4.1 billion in insurance losses per year nationally.

Licensing drivers also helps to prevent accidents. In their report, Licensed to
Kill, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that unlicensed drivers are almost
five times more likely to be in a fatal crash than are validly licensed drivers. The
AAA Foundation for Traffic Study also found that 20 percent of fatal accidents
involve at least one driver who lacks a valid license. Licensed drivers take classes
and pass tests. They are also registered, photographed, and insured.

Restricting driver's license access also erodes community trust. Rather than
increasing security, driver's license restrictions would result in a situation where
immigrants fear discrimination and being reported to ICE. They therefore would avoid
contact with law enforcement and will be less likely to report crimes and assist
local law enforcement fight criminal and terrorist activity. This decreases
community trust and infringes upon efforts to fight crime and save lives.

Oregonians deserve safe communities and roads and licensed drivers with insurance
are a means to that end. The State of Oregon needs to have a realistic system that
respects the rights of our hard-working, tax-paying residents to have access to a
document that is fundamental to day-to-day functioning within our society, while
meeting the standard of knowledge and practice. I join Oregonians in urging you to
support driver's license access for all residents of Oregon.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]



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