Illegal immigration is a major problem in the U.S. We presently have at least 7 million un-documbented individuals in this country, according to the INS. The figure could be as high as 20 million.

Illegal immigrants, by their labor, perform a useful role in our economy. They are consumers as well and more than 75% of them pay taxes and generate more than $6 billion in Social Security tax revenue each year.

Should they be allowed to obtain a driver's license?

The issue is very controversial.

New York Governor Eliot Sptizer just proposed a new law that would grant them a "special" license that could not be used for air travel thus reducing the fear that terrorists might board an airplane with a regular license

The State Assembly in California passed the Illegal Immigrant Driver's License bill in 2005. Only 6 states have such laws.

What are the principal moral values involved? I believe they are justice and compassion, a right versus right situation.

It is true that illegal immigrants have broken the law and according to justice, should be prosecuted, jailed and or deported. Consequently they should not be given the privilege of obtaining a driver's license.

However, many are paid less than the minimum wage and have difficult jobs that many American citizens do not want to do, such as heavy manual labor, harvesting, industrial, office and home cleaning. They are entitled to food and shelter like each one of us.

The Children of Israel while they were slaves in Egypt were forced to make bricks. Pharaoh decided at one point to increase the burden of their labor when he told the taskmasters "You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves." Yet he would not reduce the number of bricks each one had to produce per day.

By denying illegal immigrants the possibility to drive to work, I believe we are adding a burden to their hard jobs from which we all directly or indirectly benefit.

As the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer once said: Compassion is the basis of all morality.