Tuesday the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling ordering Arizona to issue drivers licenses to immigrants who were brought to this country illegally as children, also known as DREAMers, goes into effect.
In 2012 under the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, DREAMers were allowed to temporarily stay in the country, get work permits and in nearly all states get drivers licenses.
In August of 2012, Governor Jan Brewer issued an executive order denying dreamer’s driver’s licenses. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overruled the governor’s order declaring it unconstitutional. Last Thursday, Brewer asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put a stay on the 9th Circuit’s ruling. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is awaiting the plaintiff’s response to her application.
If Kennedy doesn’t make a decision by the end of Tuesday, the 9th Circuit’s order will go into effect and DREAMers will be able to start applying for licenses. But first a lower court must order the state to start issuing drivers’ licenses to qualifying dreamers.
