SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- A group of eight people started an estimated four-day walk from Salem to Portland to convince Gov. John Kitzhaber to take steps to ease access to driver's licenses by illegal immigrants.
The Legislature in 2008 made legal presence in the United States a requirement for obtaining driver licenses and nondriver identification cards.
The Salem Statesman-Journal reports only the Legislature can make the change, but the group wants Kitzhaber to highlight the issue.
Sindy Avila, a spokeswoman for Oregon Dream Activists, says her group wants to call attention to the necessity for drivers' licenses.
Federal law does allow states to issue licenses without proof of legal presence if the licenses are clearly marked as not valid for federal identification purposes.
