Undocumented Pinoys hit snag with license
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Undocumented Pinoys hit snag with license
Steve Angeles,
ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
Published Jan 07, 2016 02:29 PM PHT
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Updated Jan 09, 2016 10:54 AM PHT
LOS ANGELES, California – One year ago, illegal immigrants were given licenses thru AB60 which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain California drivers licenses.
LOS ANGELES, California – One year ago, illegal immigrants were given licenses thru AB60 which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain California drivers licenses.
A total of 595,000 have been able to pass identification requirements and the written and behind the wheel tests since it opened up.
"It's been life changing for many of the Filipinos in our communities to receive an AB60 license because they get to work on time. They don't have to take or wait for the bus. They get to do their errands. They get to take their children to school, make sure that they're safe," said Nikole Cababa of the Filipino Migrant Center.
While they say AB60 has helped many immigrants financially, they say it's improved their quality of life in other ways, especially for live-in caregivers who can be vulnerable to work abuse.
"We're really trying to advocate for less and less live-in condition or less live-in situations because that just opens up more opportunity for abuse as well. They have a car to control or to go out or even to take a break if they're able to get a break," said Aqui Soriano Versoza of the Pilipino Workers Center.
A total of 595,000 have been able to pass identification requirements and the written and behind the wheel tests since it opened up.
"It's been life changing for many of the Filipinos in our communities to receive an AB60 license because they get to work on time. They don't have to take or wait for the bus. They get to do their errands. They get to take their children to school, make sure that they're safe," said Nikole Cababa of the Filipino Migrant Center.
While they say AB60 has helped many immigrants financially, they say it's improved their quality of life in other ways, especially for live-in caregivers who can be vulnerable to work abuse.
"We're really trying to advocate for less and less live-in condition or less live-in situations because that just opens up more opportunity for abuse as well. They have a car to control or to go out or even to take a break if they're able to get a break," said Aqui Soriano Versoza of the Pilipino Workers Center.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices have had over 2 million AB60 customer visits since January 2015, while nearly 600,000 have gotten their licenses. Advocates say problems for some Asian passports and documents persist, with documents not accepted right away by the DMV, leaving applicants in the secondary review process.
"It feels like discrimination when all these other folks are able to present their passport and go through the process and get their licenses, we are being put through this long process where there's no criminal record, there's nothing like that. It's just the issue of identity which they're asking more than immigration asks for," said Versoza.
Cababa added, "We're obviously advocating with the DMV that they have to accept all the Philippines passports that it's a primary document that can be received."
Local consulates, including that of the Philippines, have tried to help nationals produce identification documents. However, the secondary review gives no time estimates. Sometimes, it takes 10 months before an applicant's identification is verified.
Read more on Balitang America.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices have had over 2 million AB60 customer visits since January 2015, while nearly 600,000 have gotten their licenses. Advocates say problems for some Asian passports and documents persist, with documents not accepted right away by the DMV, leaving applicants in the secondary review process.
"It feels like discrimination when all these other folks are able to present their passport and go through the process and get their licenses, we are being put through this long process where there's no criminal record, there's nothing like that. It's just the issue of identity which they're asking more than immigration asks for," said Versoza.
Cababa added, "We're obviously advocating with the DMV that they have to accept all the Philippines passports that it's a primary document that can be received."
Local consulates, including that of the Philippines, have tried to help nationals produce identification documents. However, the secondary review gives no time estimates. Sometimes, it takes 10 months before an applicant's identification is verified.
Read more on Balitang America.
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