PHOENIX - Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Wednesday ordered state agencies to deny driver's licenses and other public benefits to young [undocumented] immigrants who obtain work authorizations under a new Obama administration policy.
In an executive order, Brewer said she was reaffirming the intent of current Arizona law denying taxpayer-funded public benefits and state identification to [undocumented] immigrants.
Young [undocumented] immigrants around the nation on Wednesday began the process of applying for federal work permits under the Obama administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
The federal policy defers deportations for that group if they meet certain criteria, including arrival in the United States before they turned 16 and no convictions for certain crimes.
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Brewer's order said the policy's federal paperwork doesn't confer lawful status on [undocumented] immigrants and won't entitle them to Arizona public benefits.
However, it said the policy change ``could result in some unlawfully present aliens inappropriately gaining access to public benefits contrary to the intent of Arizona voters and lawmakers who enacted laws expressly restricting access to taxpayer funded benefits and state identification.''
Brewer directed state agencies to start any necessary emergency rulemaking processes to implement her order.
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