Activists Fasting to Support Bill for Illegal Immigrants

Three Orange County Latino activists went on a planned 48-hour fast on Wednesday because they want Gov. Gray Davis to sign a bill to authorize the granting of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants.

Those participating in the action are Lori Gonzales, 25, of Anaheim; Jimmy Ramos, 27, of Fullerton; and Olga Vega, 48, of Placentia.

The three joined other activists in a statewide fast that began at noon Wednesday in front of the Unitarian Church of Orange County in Anaheim.

At issue is AB 60 by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), which would allow an estimated 800,000 illegal immigrants who are applying for citizenship or permanent residency to obtain a driver’s license.

Davis has said he would sign such a bill only if it had added safeguards in the wake of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11. A compromise bill would approve licensing of qualified illegal immigrants to drive, provided they were in the process of becoming legal residents and were paying federal taxes.

The governor has indicated that he wants greater safeguards, which would include subjecting license applicants to criminal background checks, requiring applicants to have worked at least 15 months during the previous three years and creating an information exchange between the state Department of Motor Vehicles and the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service.

“I’m a U.S. citizen and I have a driver’s license,” Gonzales said. “But I feel that we’re advocating for the rights of others. If it fails, at least we attempted to send a message across and I will have no regrets to having done this.”