On Tuesday, the California State Assembly passed a bill that will allow illegal immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses, under the guise of creating better road safety.

Davis has vetoed two similar bills since he became governor, citing law enforcement’s concerns about the legislation. After he vetoed the bill last year, the Legislature’s Latino caucus refused to endorse him for re-election.

Last month, at an anti-recall rally in Los Angeles, the governor said he would sign the latest bill “in a heartbeat” if it reached his desk.

Aides said he wanted to sign the bill all along and that a number of law enforcement officials are now comfortable with the legislation.

Republicans have accused Davis of agreeing to sign the bill to try to win Hispanic votes to defeat the recall and contend it would raise security concerns in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“Why is he willing to put the state at risk, the country at risk, the electorate at risk? It’s his last grasp at keeping the governorship,” said Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy, R-Monrovia, who claimed the bill would “open the road” to a movement to reclaim parts of the southwestern United States for Mexico.

Every immigrant who entered the US legally, and went through the complicated bureaucracy to get legitimate citizenship, should be outraged at this blatant pandering by the execrable Gray Davis. There’s an essential contradiction in this bill that can’t be denied; we’re giving people who sneaked into the country and broke our laws the same privileges as honest citizens. If this bill becomes law, the repercussions will be enormous.