NC Democrats want immigrants to get same licenses

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democratic lawmakers, clergy and Hispanic young adults say a plan by North Carolina to grant specially marked licenses to qualifying illegal immigrants later this month is discriminatory and reinforces opinions that they are second-class residents.

They held a news conference Monday at the Legislative Building to speak against a decision by the state Department of Transportation to issue the licenses to immigrants with valid federal work permits under a new Obama administration program. The state licenses will have bright pink stripes and the words "NO LAWFUL STATUS" on them.

Several Democrats have filed a bill that would direct the licenses to look like everyone else's. Sponsor Rep. Rick Glazier of Fayetteville says the pink stripe demonizes those who receive the licenses.

Gov. Pat McCrory backs the Department of Transportation's plan.