Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will sign a bill into law Sunday that grants hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants the right to drive, NBC News reported. The new law makes Illinois the fourth state to allow driver’s licenses or permits for undocumented immigrants and comes ahead of President Obama’s expected announcement on a plan for comprehensive immigration reform expected on Tuesday. Quinn and the bipartisan supporters of the legislation say the measure will improve traffic safety in the state. “This new law will ensure every motorist is properly licensed to drive. It’s the right thing to do,” a spokesperson for the Governor said in a statement. The issue has divided lawmakers in Washington, Utah and New Mexico, the only three states that provide identification for undocumented immigrants who wish to drive. The debate has picked up momentum ahead of federal legislation that will soon require state driver’s licenses to double as national identification, according to NBC News.
