Ducey defers to Brewer on driver’s licenses for Dreamers
Nov 27, 2014, 3:00 PM | Updated: 3:00 pm
PHOENIX — Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said she may ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn this week’s federal appeals court decision that overturned her 2012 move to deny driver’s licenses to young, undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers.
But the man who will take over her job in January isn’t saying what he would do.
During a campaign debate in September, Governor-elect Doug Ducey said he backed Brewer’s decision to deny licenses to illegal immigrants who were accepted into the federal government’s Deferred Action program.
He said that, while he has “compassion and respect” for Dreamers, he doesn’t think “they’re entitled to the privileges and benefits of hardworking Arizona families.”
But Ducey won’t say what should be done now.
“I’ve made my position clear on this, so I’m going to defer to Governor Brewer on this,” Ducey told reporters in Phoenix this week. “She’s the governor at this time. We’ll see what action she takes.
“On Jan. 5 (Ducey’s inauguration day), I’ll have a better feel for the situation and we’ll be able to act.”
This week’s appeals court decision could put nearly 21,000 Dreamers in Arizona closer to the driver’s seat.