Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

PHOENIX (AP) - Updated guidelines by federal authorities could possibly open the door for young illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses in Arizona.

The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that those who receive deferred action from deportation through President Barack Obama's new immigration policy are considered to be lawfully present in the U.S.

Arizona currently bars deferred action recipients from obtaining state-issued driver's licenses.

Gov. Jan Brewer issued an executive order last year barring illegal immigrants who receive federal work permits through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The Arizona Republic (http://bit.ly/XkwRul) says Brewer's order was based on the grounds that deferred action recipients aren't authorized to be in the U.S.

Therefore they don't meet requirements under state law for obtaining a state-issued driver's license.