Many Illegal Drivers Doubted License Law

LA Times ^ | 11/26/03 | Daniel Hernandez and Monte Morin

[gubamyster]

By Daniel Hernandez and Monte Morin, Times Staff Writers

With or without a license, Florentina Torres says, she will keep driving.

From her home in Huntington Park to her daughter's school in Long Beach to her housekeeping job in West Adams, Torres has driven on Southern California roads for 10 years without a license.

The 40-year-old Mexico native said that hopes of driving legally were short-lived, as state legislators prepared to repeal a law that would have granted driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

"I go out on the street, and it's always with fear," Torres said. "But it's how I get to work."

As a bill to repeal the license law makes its way through the Assembly, having already passed the Senate, Torres said she never truly believed the measure would be enacted. That, she said, was especially clear to her after Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor. Former Gov. Gray Davis had signed the license bill into law at the height of the campaign to recall him, and his defeat seemed to signal a similar fate for the law, she said.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Moose4]

Time to track this woman down and deport her when she gets arrested for driving without a license.

}:-)4

[texastoo]

She broke the law entering the country and now is breaking the law driving. What is new?

[Digger]

This big mouth IMO would have the cop in front of her house every day ticketing her if I were in charge. Every law abiding citizen should be totally outraged at these ILLEGALS. As always it takes the LA Slimes to put these articles together. I'd close that newspaper down somehow also - I know with the millions of laws on the books I could find one that fits its shutdown.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

"I go out on the street, and it's always with fear," Torres said. "But it's how I get to work."

What is there to fear, interior immigration enforcement is practically non-existent.

[Dante3]

I hope the cops will be at her doo.. This woman is not about to obey any laws.

[DumpsterDiver]

Says Bakersfield waitress Martha Hernandez:

"I work, I go to school, I am a single mother, I pay for health insurance, I pay taxes,

Are you an illegal alien?

"I don't want nothing from the government".

Are you sure?

"I just need a license to go from here to there," Hernandez said.

Aw, you poor thing.

"It's sad."

I feel your pain, Martha.

[tubebender]

How about nailing her employer. Wait, we can't do that.It's Ed A$$ner...

[dmanLA]

You should have fear when BREAKING THE LAW.

You are not suppose to be here in the first place! Now you want to be the victim?!?!?

The real victims are legal Californians being milked for billions each year because you and others like you keep flowing into this country ILLEGALLY!

This whole thing is insane!

[Republicus2001]

again will someone tell me why they can't just use their Mexican licenses? they are perfectly legal - Mexican truckers use them everyday in California....

[MIchaelTArchangel]

I don't understand why some idiots in the California legislature seem to think California needs to issue driver's licenses to illegals for them to drive legally. Those wetbacks can drive legally even if they are hear illegally simply by following the laws that govern driving.

All the wetbacks have to do is have a valid Mexican driver's license and use that to obtain a valid international driver's license which they can use here. Oh, I forgot, Jose, didn't bother to get a Mexican driver's license.

[Chinito]

"I go out on the street, and it's always with fear," Torres said. "But it's how I get to work."

Then go home and be safe and free from Fear. //sarcasm off

My wife's family came over legally when she was 12yo and now they are all naturalized citizens. They all voted for President Bush and Gov. Aaaahnold except for one radical brother (single, non-home owner, no kids) who tells me that California should go back to the original owners (Spain/Mexico). I take great delight in telling him that there are not that many Ind...I mean Native Americans to take possession. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

[DLfromthedesert]

How about driving back home?

[DeweyCA]

It is truly amazing to see how the LA Times tries to frame issues to appeal to people's emotions, rather than to their logic. The woman is a CRIMINAL. She should be sent back to her home, and then apply to immigrate here in a lawful fashion!

[Kay Soze]

Exactly!!

I am in La Quinta Ca just off the NAFTA Hwy (I10 and 86S)
and yes Mexicans driver on our hwys regularly with Mexican drivers license and a Mexican plated cars.

If the demon-crats truly believe that the need for DL's is for safety then they’d have no problems with a modified and totally diff looking CA or any other States Drivers License... right?

Make them bright green, or blue or purple….

[JustPiper]

With or without a license, Florentina Torres says, she will keep driving. From her home in Huntington Park to her daughter's school in Long Beach

Ok, lemme get this straight, she is willingly admitting breaking the law. Does she have working papers for the richies in S CA do not care about hiring illegals, they get to push them around. But last I remebered Huntington and Long Beach were full of these richies ie: The Brown's, Nicole's family etc. So how does this woman get to live there considering the highest cost of living exists there?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Huntington Park is a dump. No one but foreigners and illegals live there....It's in a bad part of suburbia.

[BillyBoy]

>> She broke the law entering the country and now is breaking the law driving. What is new? <<

But Congressman Luis Guiterrez (Socialist-PR) insists most ILLEGAL aliens are actually good, "law-abiding" folks. Seems his Orwellian claims don't hold up to scruny!