Supreme Court upholds ruling banning driver’s licenses for illegal aliens

The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a district court ruling that illegal immigrants cannot obtain driver’s licenses in the state. A couple who are illegal aliens sued the state saying it would make it safer for them to drive if they were able to obtain an Iowa Driver’s License. Their illegal status does not allow them to get a social security card and other documents required for a license. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the district court ruling, saying they conclude the state’s licensing scheme is rationally related to the legitimate state interest of “not allowing its governmental machinery to be a facilitator for the concealment of illegal aliens.” The court also said denying driver’s licenses to the class of illegal aliens does not violate the equal protection clauses of the federal and state constitutions. They concluded that the practice of denying driver’s licenses to illegal aliens violates none of the statutory and constitutional provisions raised in the case and upheld the judgment of the district court.