Over half a million driver’s licenses have been issued to illegal aliens in California since January, according to the California DMV. The licenses were issued under AB 60, the California law that allows all California residents, no matter their immigration status, to obtain driver’s licenses.
On Friday, Armando Botello, speaking for the DMV, acknowledged that the number of licenses passed the 500,000 plateau last week. The number of licenses issued to illegal immigrants is expected to surpass 1.4 million by January 2018.
Until the passage of Proposition 187 in 1994, all immigrants could gain a driver’s license in the state. The new licenses contain a visible distinguishing feature that theoretically prevents their use to enter restricted areas of federal facilities.
The Sacramento Bee reported in July that more than half of the driver’s licenses issued by the state in 2015 went to illegal aliens. Almost half a million people applied for the licenses between January 1 and early April.