Let them drive
New state legislation preventing temporary immigrants from getting a driver's license is at best unwelcoming and at worst discriminatory.
The law, enacted Jan. 22, denies licenses to illegal and temporary immigrants. Caught in the fray are immigrants with student and work visas who now are unfairly unable to drive - a sum of 400,000, according to Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
Given Michigan's woeful public transportation infrastructure, illegal immigrants now are faced with an infuriating encumbrance, which will cripple numerous aspects of their daily routines.
Fortunately, an amendment has been proposed to remedy much of this. This should be approved soon.
The law, though reasonable for illegal immigrants, has no compelling cause to categorically restrict the legal privileges of international students and workers.
If the concern is that immigrants are not adequately prepared to drive in Michigan, then they should be subject to the evaluative measures already in place to decide whether native 16-year olds are capable of driving. An examination - written, practical or both - could determine whether an immigrant should be able to drive.
An immigrant's driving record in his or her native country also could be considered, restricting those with an abysmal record. Of course, foreign records, which weigh whether a driver knows and follows foreign traffic laws rather than Michigan's, can determine only a limited amount.
The broad, categorical refusal embodies the worst of blanket legislation. It does not consider what actually constitutes a decent driver; it imposes only some arbitrary distinction given a disproportionate amount of credence.
Better integrating temporary immigrants into the state's driving system, perhaps through an accelerated version of driver's education, would be a welcoming and positive gesture toward the international community. It would declare that Michigan cares enough to consider more subtle measurements on their behalf.
