EDITORIAL A CALL TO ARNOLD GOVERNOR MUST TAKE A STAND ON DRIVER'S LICENSE ISSUE.

THE debate over extending California driver's licenses to illegal immigrants is about more than just immigration or ethnic politics. The report of the 9-11 commission has made it a matter of national security.

And for that reason alone, it's a debate Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cannot continue to duck.

Last year, on the eve of recall, Gov. Gray Davis hastily signed a seriously flawed bill that would have given licenses to illegal immigrants without imposing any security safeguards. It was a shameless bit of pandering that ultimately helped Davis lose his job.

Upon taking office, Schwarzenegger persuaded the Legislature to rescind the law, promising to revisit the issue later. But since then, he has dragged his feet, unwilling to commit either way on replacement legislation.

Meanwhile, the 9-11 commission issued its report, warning that Washington must collaborate with the states on coherent licensing policies that will protect government IDs from falling into terrorist hands. Absent a sensible policy for identifying the millions of illegal immigrants who live in America, terrorists continue to lurk among the ranks of the invisible.

While some might favor mass deportation, that is neither a feasible nor likely solution. A much quicker, more realistic response is to offer valid identification to illegal residents. That way, law enforcement could focus its efforts on the most dangerous among them - the terrorists, the gang members, the fugitives who prefer to remain in the shadows.

That's where driver's licenses can come into play.

Under state Sen. Gil Cedillo's new bill, to obtain driver's licenses, illegal immigrants would have to be be photographed and fingerprinted, and also submit to criminal background checks - costs for which they alone would be responsible. The plan also excludes illegal immigrants from terrorist-sponsoring nations, thus reducing the chances of awarding driver's licenses to terrorists.

There could be still be further safeguards that can be added, and for that, the Department of Homeland Security should be consulted. But after all the appropriate measures are included, licensing illegal immigrants could go a long way toward keeping the country safer and allowing the government to wage the War on Terror more effectively.

It would also help make California's roads safer. The thousands if not millions of illegal immigrants driving on our streets and freeways - unlicensed and uninsured - pose a serious danger and drive up the price of insurance for the rest of us. With driving privileges as the carrot that encourages identification and insurance, swift punishment of those who continue driving without a license could be the stick that ensures compliance.

The point of giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants isn't to reward illegal behavior - it's to make life safer for us all, which can only happen if a licensing law is well crafted. And that can only happen if the governor gets off the fence.

As the 9-11 report makes clear, America can no longer afford to tolerate millions of people living invisibly within society. And just because Washington refuses to deal with the immigration issue doesn't mean California can't begin to do its part.

It's time for Schwarzenegger to take a stand, and for the state to resolve the driver's license issue once and for all.