No license, no car? Not so: LA considers changing 30-day impound on cars of unlicensed drivers

89.3 KPCC ^ | November 28, 2011 | Patt Morrison

[moonshinner_09]

No license, no car — that policy, which activists have long complained unfairly punishes illegal immigrants who cannot get driver’s licenses, may be about to change.

Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Police Department began allowing unlicensed drivers at sobriety checkpoints a free pass from having their car towed and impounded if a licensed driver was available to take it. Since then, Mayor Villaraigosa has been developing a new policy with the LAPD that would expand that change to include traffic stops and reduce the number of 30-day impounds, which can cost hundreds of dollars in fees. The police union says the new policy “puts politics above public safety” and “will result in innocent people being injured and killed,” but activists maintain that the current situation continues to unfairly punish illegal immigrants

[moonshinner_09]

These activists, seem to think illegals should be above the laws and not have to comply with drivers license and insurance. If I get stopped, maybe I can use this line of defense, your laws continues to unfairly punish me.

[Da Coyote]

Won’t happen.

Denver (Mexico north) didn’t do it for the same reason.

They didn’t want to irritate too many of their voting core.

[The Iceman Cometh]

unfairly punish illegal immigrants

So, there's still a chance illegals can be 'fairly' punished?

[matt04]

I’m sure this proposed new policy will be applied fairly to both legal and illegal residents. /sarc

[2ndDivisionVet]

[GeronL]

Unfairly punishes illegals?

...

There was an article about insurance roadblocks in LA where illegals were allowed to call a friend to pick up the car so it won’t be impounded. Legal citizens got no such consideration.

[attiladhun2]

If I get stopped, maybe I can use this line of defense

Not if your name isn't Jose or Esteban. I saw this doing apartment house security in Corona, CA. CPD would examine the IDs of persons who were obviously not the one appearing on the ID and they were allowed to go in every case. If I pulled a phoney ID on a cop, I'd be handcuffed and carted off to jail on the spot.

[gaijin]

I'm pretty sure this special exception will only be for Hispanis, or perhaps only for Hispanic illegals, or Hispanics who cannot speak English.

In SanFran for already 1.5 years, if you're pulled over and have no license illegal aliens get special treatment; the officer must grant him/her a cell phone call to a relative or friend, who has 40 minutes to come drive the car away.

You? You get your car towed --that's $550 for the tow, and $60 per nigtht it's in impound.

[gaijin]

Heard a funny story —Hispanic guy bot busted for selling drugs, at the trial he said he was illegal:

He was deported, but there was just ONE catch —he WAS NOT illegal..! He was simply a Spanish-seaking Hispanic, nothing more.

He got deported FROM Mexico to the USA, and by then they simply threw out all the charges.

GOT OFF FREE..!

[forgotten man]

Does Mayor Vivalaraza’s new policy apply to everyone or only to his precious illegal aliens? What about people who have had their drivers licenses suspended for drunk driving? Convicted drunk drivers don’t have the “oppurtunity” to have a drivers license. Oh..... illegal aliens convicted of drunk driving don’t have to worry about suspended drivers licenses, they don’t need no stinking drivers license. I wish somebody would sue the LAPD for not applying EQUAL PROTECTION under the law.

[KarlInOhio]

unfairly punishes illegal immigrants who cannot get driver’s licenses,

Cannot? Why not just get one of these from el Estado de Nuevo Leon?

[Neidermeyer]

I’m sure this proposed new policy will be applied fairly to both legal and illegal residents. /sarc
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Off duty cops will just tag along to roadblocks and drive the car away for the low low rate of $100/mile. The unlicensed Mexican will take the keys back a mile away from the original traffic stop.