Actors, writers and musicians push for immigrant drivers licenses

[FishForLunch]

Immigrants can still get a license today, all you have to do is show your legal status and Social Security card and you will get a drivers license. I guess the holloy weirds are living in a dream world!!! They are trying to blur the line between legal and illegal immigrants - nice try why dont they go thro the wait (pain) to become legal.

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The Associated Press
Published 5:10 am PST Monday, January 24, 2005
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hollywood stars are joining the fight to get driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants in California with a new ad featuring a mock award for "Best Nanny."

More than 30 actors, musicians and writers, including Diane Keaton, Carlos Santana and "Million Dollar Baby" writer and producer Paul Haggis, took out the ad Monday in the entertainment industry trade paper Variety.

The group urges Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to approve a new bill that would allow illegal immigrants to get a license as long as background checks found they had no criminal violations.

In a nod to the Academy Award nominations, which will be announced Tuesday, the ad features a picture of a Hispanic woman and two young children with the caption, "Nominated: Best Nanny in a Supporting Role Rosanna Perez."

A caption reads: "I am trusted every day to use my hands and my heart to nurture and care for children who are not my own ... I am welcomed into the most personal parts of people's lives, but I'm not trusted with a license to drive a car."

Haggis said the bill will help immigrants and also make the roads safer.

"This bill helps all of us," he said, adding, "A lot of us in the entertainment business are terribly spoiled, and we live in a world where we are overprotected and overpaid. At the same time, I think we have a duty to give voice to those who perhaps haven't the same access."

The ad was orchestrated in part by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, who has led the effort in favor of the licenses. He introduced his latest bill on the issue Jan. 13 and is making full use of Hollywood. Cedillo recently held a screening in Sacramento of the film "Spanglish," about a Hispanic maid who takes a bus to the Beverly Hills home where she works.

About one-quarter of the 26 million to 30 million drivers on state roadways each day lack insurance, according to the Personal Insurance Federation of California. An estimated 2.4 million people living in California are illegal immigrants.