Over the holidays last year, I caught wind that the State of Oregon has issued a bill that would require a person to provide proof of legal residence in the United States before being issued an Oregon driver license. This initiative went into effect on Monday. While this has absolutely no impact on me (that I’m aware of), it evidently has angered the Latino community, in particular, leading to protest marches and demonstrations at the state Capitol. Ironically, one of the protesters of the legislation carried a placard that stated “the right to obey the law.” As if to strengthen to irony, another sign stated: “Taking our driver license away take our honesty away. We don’t want to be outlaws.” Hmm, an undocumented person worried about driving without a license. Shouldn’t being an illegal immigrant be their first concern? And doesn’t that already categorize them as outlaws?
The Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR) would like to think so. They’re among the biggest proponents of the bill. But organizations such as OFIR can be a tad extremist, in my opinion. Read the “About” page of their website to discover all the other items they oppose. One OFIR supporter stated her position plainly: “I pay taxes on my retirement that these people live off of; they need to go home and come back legal, that’s all I have to say.”
I don’t support illegal immigration. But, is this bill really necessary?
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