Arizona will issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants who are related to members of the U.S. military, the Arizona Republic reported Wednesday.
In November, the Department of Homeland Security decided that undocumented dependents of military personnel are eligible for “parole in place,” which enables immigrants to apply for a green card while remaining in the U.S., as opposed to having to head back to their home country to do so.
Arizona decided that the state would grant undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses under this policy, even though Gov. Jan Brewer (R) did not allow undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to obtain driver’s licenses.
Timothy Tait, assistant communication director at the Arizona Department of Transportation, said that deferred action granted to young immigrants by the Obama administration differs from parole relief for military family.
“Whereas deferred action is the discretionary decision to not enforce federal immigration law with respect to an individual or group, parole is relief afforded pursuant to the (Immigration and Nationality Act),” Tait told the Republic.
