Illegal Immigrant Reporter Loses His Drivers' License

Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter who recently declared his illegal status with a big old sob-story essay over at the NY Times. He is also quite unapologetic about his status and has decided he is going to become an illegal immigrant activist. Of course, he uses the rather benign term “undocumented immigrant” to describe his time here in America rather than the more accurate “person who has broken most of our immigration laws by obtaining false documents and continuously lying to his employers and the federal government about his illegal status.” (Links via Michelle Malkin.com)

…he [Vargas] wrote that he’s tired of hiding his secret and has launched a campaign called Define American to use stories of immigrants like him to urge Congress and the Obama administration to pursue immigration reform. His high school principal and superintendent have signed on as board members. (Source: Seattle PI)

Vargas was able to maintain his façade of residency, and obtain reporting jobs across the country because his grandparents allegedly provided him with false documents plus he also obtained drivers licenses fraudulently in Oregon and Washington State. Washington State does not require a SSN, only a document with an address such as a cable bill, to get a license to drive.

Just this past week, the state of Washington Department of Licensing revoked his driver’s license after officials launched an investigation after the release of Vargas’ essay on his life as an illegal immigrant.

Very nice to see a liberal state like Washington follow the letter of the law in this case. Considering all of the press attention Vargas has received, most of it quite sympathetic, it does come as a minor shock the state would do the right thing.

What is even more surprising to me was that the news organization that broke the report was the Seattle PI under the headline “Wash. Cancels illegal immigrant reporter’s license.” I find it amazing the PI would actually use the descriptor “illegal immigrant” in the headline, especially when you consider the PI is quite liberal in their editorializing. It should also be noted that because of declining readership the PI no longer produces a print copy, it is only has an on-line presence. The Seattle Times, which tends more middle of the road, still has a print division that is doing fairly well, along with an on-line edition.