Back in 2003, under the stewardship of Governor Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota sensibly banned illegal aliens from obtaining a driver’s license. This was done in response to the 9/11 attacks amid worries that foreign terrorists might more easily be able to move around the state. But that was twenty years ago and Minnesota looks much different now than it did back then. Now, the Democrats in the state’s House of Representatives have passed a bill that will allow the issuance of driver’s licenses to illegals, and the state Senate is expected to do the same. Because, you know… what we really need is more people who broke our laws by entering the country getting behind the wheel. (MPR News)

The Minnesota House of Representatives on Monday passed a bill to allow people in the country without authorization to apply for Minnesota driver’s licenses and state IDs.

On a 69-60 vote, the House approved the measure, which is also working its way through committees in the Minnesota Senate. Applicants would have to pass a knowledge and behind-the-wheel test to be eligible for a license.

Minnesotans were able to obtain a driver’s license no matter their immigration status prior to 2003 as long as they completed the tests. But former Gov. Tim Pawlenty at that time prohibited those in the country illegally from obtaining licenses.

One of the bill’s authors, Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega, told a tearful story about having to drive illegal immigrant children around because their parents weren’t allowed to drive. What she completely failed to mention is that the parents in question aren’t even supposed to be in the country, to say nothing of driving.

Republicans attempted to add an amendment to the bill that would at least put a marker on the licenses showing that the person was not in the country legally. They expressed concerns that people with perfectly “normal” looking licenses might be able to register to vote. The Democrats voted down that proposal, claiming that such a marking on the license would make the person look like “a second-class citizen.”

Of course, that accusation was completely wrong. Why? Because they aren’t citizens of any class at all. They are here illegally.

Supporters of the bill further claimed that this is a safety issue. By making the applicants pass a written exam and a driving test, they will wind up being better drivers and make the roads safer. But do you know what would actually make the roads less crowded and thereby safer? Deporting all of the illegal migrants back to their countries of origin and having them apply for a visa and work toward legal citizenship like everyone else.

Illegal aliens are now crossing our southern border at a rate of more than 300,000 per month. Many of them speak openly of how the border is “open” thanks to Joe Biden and they look forward to all of the benefits they will be able to receive. Somebody should really start spreading the word in the migrant camps that Minnesota is giving away free driver’s licenses to all migrants who show up there. Perhaps if they start flooding into Minneapolis by the thousands to take advantage of this offer, the state legislators will think better of the plan.