California issues 59,000 driver's licenses to immigrants

California has issued tens of thousands of driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally during the first month of applications.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

SACRAMENTO — California has issued 59,000 driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally during the first month of applications.

The state's Department of Motor Vehicles said Wednesday that 236,000 immigrants began applying for a driver's license in January.

The state issued a total of 113,000 driver's licenses during the first month of the year, up 53 percent from January 2014.

California expects to issue 1.4 million driver's licenses to immigrants over the next three years under the program to license drivers regardless of their immigration status.

Last week, the DMV said it would offer more driver's license appointments to meet the surge in demand since the program began.

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