May 18, 2018. In this article by Mark Sommer and Maki Becker, the authors discuss Erie County’s Clerk, Mickey Kearns’, position on granting undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses. The article quotes Kearns stating that if the law is passed, he would consider it a violation of federal law and that he will not have licenses processed. The article goes on to quote others who are in opposition to Kearns’ view and see a driver’s licenses as a necessity to living life. 

“If the Legislature or the governor through executive order does this, we will not process any of these licenses in Erie County,” Kearns said.

“Access to driver’s licenses is a basic quality of life and human rights issue,” Connor said. “We want drivers on the road to have licenses and insurance. Mickey Kearns’ position is a travesty. Buffalo is a community that welcomes people from all over the world.”

About 265,000 immigrants would get licenses if the law is signed, including about 2,500 in Buffalo, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute, a labor-backed think tank, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported last month.

Here is the link to The Buffalo News.