Driver’s licenses reflect practical need

I am very sorry that you had a bad experience with an undocumented immigrant driver (“Immigration quandary,” April 4). Yes, some immigrants hit people — so do a lot of other drivers! I have a friend with a broken neck due to an American citizen flying through a red light. Did you miss the part about immigrants who get driver’s licenses needing to learn the driving rules and taking a test to get behind a wheel? That would be better than what we have now, with people getting cars to go to work, but not being able to get a license, just because of their citizenship status. We used to allow them to get licenses, and it wasn’t as bad as it is today.

Apparently you haven’t ridden the light rail or a bus for quite a while — they do not go to places like Woodbury that have lots of retail and assisted living jobs, but no buses or light rail. There are rush hour buses that take Park N Ride passengers downtown to work, but none that have coverage in the other direction or go there during the hours that low-paying jobs entail, like jobs starting at 10 a.m. or at 2:30 p.m. or 11 p.m. I hope that you can have some empathy for people whose countries are embroiled in wars or other violence. They come here looking for a lot more than a “better” life — in many cases they are coming to keep themselves and their families alive!

Terry Hawkins
St. Pascal Baylon, St. Paul

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