Measure 88 would have allowed the state to issue “driver’s cards” to anyone, even those who could not prove legal residency in the state or country. Supporters said it was a way to ensure Oregon’s roads were safer, while opponents saw through it and said it was a way to reward law breakers.

Despite the measure ostensibly being about driver safety, it was seen by many as a referendum on illegal immigration. If so the message is clear. The vote wasn’t even close despite the opponents of the measure being outspent 10 to one by an unholy alliance of unions, immigration groups and business interests—the latter always interested in ways to help cheap labor come to this country and stay here.

Opponents of the measure put it in stark terms regarding national security and noted the 9/11 bombers carried 30 state driver’s licenses and identifications with 300 aliases.

The organization, “Protect Oregon Driver Licenses,” said before the vote that “Accommodating illegal aliens invites more to come. Recent history clearly shows this…Illegal immigration inflates the population, further burdening our already-stressed natural environment. It adversely affects the labor market and swamps our overburdened entitlement programs. Citizens are forced to compete with illegal aliens for jobs, causing significant unemployment and wage depression. Loss of respect for the rule of law grows as a consequence of such legislation.”

Many law enforcement officials agreed. Tim Mueller, the former sheriff of Linn County and an opponent of the law said in advance of the vote, “Giving a person a driver's license who is in this country illegally is flat out irresponsible and does nothing to protect the citizens of this state."
Voters were of the same mind. In the end, when votes were counted, the measure was shot down by an overwhelming margin—67.5 percent against with 32.5 percent in favor. Even overwhelmingly Democratic counties voted against the measure by large percentages.

Republicans would do well to heed the numbers there because they show where the sentiment of the people lies. Polls continue to show Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to illegal immigration and amnesty for them—even Democrats. If sentiment is so clear in a liberal state such as Oregon, imagine how strong it is in swing and Red states.

A year ago Rasmussen Reports conducted a national poll of 1,000 likely voters about immigration policies. One of the questions touched on the very issue Oregonians voted on last week. It read, "Should illegal immigrants be eligible for driver’s licenses in your state?"

Of those who polled, 68 percent opposed allowing illegal immigrants driver licenses and 22 percent favored allowing it, while the remainder were uncertain.

These results mirror last week’s vote almost exactly and show people have not changed their minds on the issue at all.

Despite the clear message from polls and last week’s election, it is not clear Republicans are paying attention. We know the president is not. He has already made it clear he intends to take unilateral action, despite the mandate against amnesty or sweeping “reforms.” The message to him is act now, on his own, because there is no support from most Americans. That may be the message Obama took from the election but it should not be one the Republicans received. Unfortunately to many Republicans, immigration is not an existential issue for the country but one to get out of the way so they can move on to what they view as more important issues, such as the Keystone Pipeline or tax reform.

Take heed Republicans. Your most serious mandate is not to pass the Keystone Pipeline or reform taxes, or even to repeal Obamacare, however important those issues might be. Your mandate and primary mission is to protect the country, and the people want you to do that by closing the borders to those who would violate them at will and by stopping unilateral action by the president on immigration. Time enough for everything else later.