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Court: 'Dreamers' can get driver's licenses

Posted at 7:50 PM, Apr 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-05 22:50:59-04

A federal appeals court has affirmed the ability of young immigrants protected from deportation to obtain an Arizona driver's license.

In a 42-page opinion Tuesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled the plaintiffs suffered irreparable harm from Arizona's policy.

Plaintiff lawyers say the policy was discriminatory and impeded the immigrants' ability to work and go to school.

A federal judge in Phoenix issued a permanent injunction in the case in January 2015.

At a hearing in Tucson last August, Arizona attorneys argued to reinstate the driver's license ban for immigrants who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The state said it denied licenses over liability concerns and to reduce the risk of the licenses being used to improperly access public benefits.