Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark on Saturday became the second DA in the state to announce her support for legislation that would grant driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.
“I’d just like to announce that I am officially in favor of this bill,” Clark said during a panel at the Somos spring conference in Albany, where Hispanic politicians, activists, and others gather to discuss issues important to Latinx communities.
She made the announcement while seated beside Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, who announced his support for the bill last month.
Pending state legislation would make New York the 13th state, in addition to Washington D.C., to allow undocumented immigrants to receive driver’s licenses.
An estimated 265,000 immigrants in the state would be eligible to apply for licenses if the legislation passes, most of them in New York City, according to an analysis by the Fiscal Policy Institute.
Under the proposed law, applicants would have to pass all the regular tests required of licensed drivers. The document would not impact their citizenship status or allow them to vote, authorities said.
The FPI analysis found that the law would generate about $57 million in annual revenue and $26 million in one-time revenue from the purchase of driver’s licenses, new cars, registrations, and sales and gas taxes.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he supports granting licenses to illegal immigrants, while a number of law enforcement officials have come out against the policy.