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Some Mexican Border Residents Can Remove Addresses From Licenses

Drivers in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua can chose not to include their address on their driver's license. Officials approved the plan as a precaution meant to prevent crimes like extortion and kidnapping.

Ongoing violence in the Mexican state of Chihuahua makes some drivers apprehensive about carrying around a license that shows their home address. They worry that in the wrong hands, criminals can target them more easily. This includes law enforcement officers, who aren't always trustworthy.

In the border city of Ciudad Juarez, a police officer was charged with killing two women in their homes. The officer allegedly got their addresses from their driver's licenses during a traffic stop.

Starting the week of March 12, the state of Chihuahua has made it optional for drivers to include their home address on their license. So far, Chihuahua and Mexico City are the only areas to enact such a law.

It's unclear what effect the new law will have if Chihuahua drivers who do not have an address on their license visit the United States.