NEW YORK, NY May 11, 2005 —Immigration advocates are hailing a court ruling that will prevent the New York Department of Motor Vehicles from revoking thousands of drivers licenses based solely on immigration status.

State Supreme Court Justice Karen Smith said the DMV cannot use immigration status as a requirement for getting or renewing a license or I.D.

The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund sued the DMV after it tried to suspend hundreds of thousands of licenses belonging to immigrants whose social security numbers did not match federal records. The fund's president, Cesar Perales says the DMV overstepped its authority.

PERALES: The Department of Motor Vehicles responsibility is to ensure that you are of the proper age that you know how to drive that your vision is good. That's what they should be determining before they issue a license.

The Department of Motor Vehicles began checking social security numbers in late 2003 saying it was necessary to cut back on fraud and improve national security. The State Attorney General's office represents the DMV and is deciding whether to appeal the decision.