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Sheriff Lee Baca Joins LAPD Chief In Calling For Driver's Licenses For Illegal Immigrants

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Another top law enforcement official has come out publicly in favor of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said he would get behind a "sensible" plan to issue licenses to illegal immigrants who have been in the country for years without breaking any other laws, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Baca's support comes the same week Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck said he believed the state of California should issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, although they don't have to be identical to regular driver's licenses.

Beck said he believed allowing illegal immigrants to have driver's licenses would reduce the number of hit-and-run accidents and uninsured drivers on the roads.

Baca says he would support licenses for illegal immigrants only after they fill out comprehensive applications, similar to those for citizenship. These licenses should be up for renewal annually and noticeably different from those issued to citizens.

It's not the first time Baca has thrown his support behind driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. A decade ago, he headed up a task force for then Gov. Gray Davis exploring a plan to give licenses to illegal immigrant. The controversial issue eventually led to Davis' recall.

»RELATED STORY: LAPD Chief Charlie Beck: Give Driver's Licenses To Illegal Immigrants

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