Puerto Rico Governor García Padilla: Driver’s Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants

The new governor of Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, told reporters that even though they are in the commonwealth illegally, "[Undocumented immigrants'] contributions to the country and respect for human dignity make them worthy of certain fundamental protections."

García Padilla said he would submit a proposal to the island's legislature very soon. The sudden announcement comes following a highly contested election during which he beat conservative Governor Luis Fortuño by a razor-thin margin. Fortuno had appeared previously at a conservative convention in Washington and his name was even floated for a short time as being a possible vice presidential choice for republican candidate Mitt Romney.

The change in leadership in Puerto Rico comes as a relief to the majority in its congress, where most of the seats are held by Garcia Padilla's PPD or Popular Democratic Party.

The Associated Press reports that over 150,000 undocumented immigrants reside in Puerto Rico, many coming from poorer areas of Latin America including Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In the Lower 48, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., has also spoken out in support of similar measures in the Empire State.