Should illegal immigrants be able to get driver's licenses? Six states currently allow them to do so.

• Position: DEBATE

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

YES People are frustrated with our broken immigration system. But denying driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants won't solve the problem and is a distraction from the real issues that states face in promoting public safety and protecting their communities.

Most states--all except six--deny licenses to illegal immigrants. This increases the number of unlicensed and uninsured drivers, and undermines effective law enforcement.

More than 14 percent of all accidents are caused by uninsured drivers, resulting in $4.1 billion in insurance losses a year, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said last year that granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants "would reduce the number of hit-and-runs and increase the number of insured motorists on the road."

There are at least 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States; they are our neighbors, our classmates, and our coworkers. They didn't come to the U.S. to get a driver's license, but like most Americans, they need to be able to drive to get to work, to take their kids to school, and to carry out daily activities.

State policymakers can either ignore reality and deny them licenses, or acknowledge the reality that these people are living and driving in our states by implementing a policy that protects everyone's safety.

Congress needs to fix our broken immigration system. In the meantime, for the public's safety, states need to make sure that their drivers are tested, licensed, and insured.

TYLER MORAN National Immigration Law Center

NO States have the right to issue driver's licenses to people who are in the United States illegally, but that doesn't mean they should.

The costs simply outweigh the benefits. For one...