9th Circuit Rules AZ Dreamers Can Keep Driver’s Licenses

DREAMERS in Arizona are celebrating another win, as the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled Tuesday that the state must continue to issue driver’s licenses to young undocumented immigrants who receive deportation deferments.

A three-judge panel agreed with the ruling by District Court Judge David Campbell.

The court ruled that the plaintiffs in the case, who where recipients of deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition (ADAC), suffered irreparable harm from Arizona’s policy that prevented them from getting a license.

The state argued that preventing DREAMERS from obtaining licenses would also reduce the risk of these licenses being used to get public benefits.

Plaintiff’s lawyers in the case called the state’s policy “discriminatory,” and added that keeping DREAMERS from getting licenses would also keep them from getting a job or going to school.

AZCentral.com reports that after Tuesday’s ruling, the office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is reviewing the decision, along with the office of Governor Doug Ducey.