Gov. Jerry Brown visited Fresno City College Thursday to sign a bill granting undocumented immigrants the right to obtain driver’s licenses in California.

Assembly Bill 60 is the first law of its kind in the U.S. The bill also makes it unlawful to discriminate against people who hold those distinctive licenses.

“California has been one of the landmark states for immigration reform, and this just kind of solidifies it,” said Alex O’Casey, president of the Fresno City College Democrats.

Brown stood with Fresno community leaders, immigration activists and members of the California State Legislature in front of Fresno City College’s Old Administration Building speaking in support of the bill.

“This truly is a historic moment,” Brown said.

He added that he hopes that the passing of the bill will send a message to lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to act on immigration reform.

“The very fact that a million people who are undocumented are now recognized by the law of California””that sends a message to Congress,” Brown said. “When they come back and get back to work, if they ever do, they are not going to be able to ignore a million people who are recognized by the state of California.”

Congress debated the issue of immigration earlier this year. However negotiations appear to have stalled.

Supporters say the bill also will have wide-reaching effects on undocumented students. Estefania Hermosillo, an undocumented student attending Modesto Junior College, spoke about when an officer stopped and fined her for driving without a license.

“I saw the struggle in his (the police officer’s) face when I explained to him my status. I was coming from school and made one last effort to convince him that I’m a good person. I’m just trying to get by here,” Hermosilllo said. “But he had a job to do.”
She recieved a $400 fine for driving without a license.

“The fact that we can obtain licenses is definitely a reward,” she said. “The fear begins to dwindle, and you feel like the place you have always called home is starting to accept you,” she said.

Fresno State College Democrats President Jose Verdusco reiterated that point.

“Their families and them feel comfortable driving around, getting to work, getting to school. Everything’s just more simplified,” he said. “They can feel at ease, not fearing what’s out there.”

Verdusco also said, “It’s a big deal” that Brown came to Fresno to sign this bill.

“He’s sending a message not just to California, but to the District of Columbia that we need to get immigration reform next,” he said.

Fresno State College Republicans could not immediately be reached for comment.