California issued some 605,000 new driver’s licenses last year to immigrants residing in the country illegally, surpassing expectations for the program’s first year and granting more freedom for those who obtained the permit.

Approximately 830,000 undocumented applicants have sought the licenses since Jan. 2, 2015, the first day they were available following passage of a law, Assembly Bill 60, that was supported by immigrants and their advocates and some traffic safety experts, and reviled by those opposed to illegal immigration.

In California, home to an estimated 2.4 million undocumented immigrants, the nation’s largest such group, the Department of Motor Vehicles prepped for the onslaught. Among other things, the agency hired about 1,000 temporary employees, extended office hours and opened four Driver License Processing Centers, including one in Stanton.

“This was a major undertaking and never before had the department implemented a program such as this one,” said Artemio Armenta, spokesman for the Department of Motor Vehicles.

In all, undocumented drivers accounted for slightly less than half of all the new non-commercial licenses – about 1.4 million – issued by the DMV in 2015.

“We were surprised, but not unprepared,” Armenta said.

Still, even with the DMV’s temporary expansions, the onslaught of new applicants inconvenienced many.

During at least the first few months of last year, many applicants had to wait longer to get an appointment, and then wait longer to be served, even with an appointment, at a DMV office.

“It certainly overloads the system,” said Ann Coil, Santa Ana Tea Party Patriots coordinator.

“And, again, we’re giving priority to people who aren’t citizens,” she added.

“There is concern in this country, and it’s reflected in this election, that there’s more compassion for people who are not citizens than those who are.”

Seniors were particularly hard hit because anyone over 70 has to appear in person at a DMV office to have a license renewed.

Kent Moore, 76, of Corona del Mar, spent hours at the Costa Mesa DMV last February, even though he had an appointment to register an out-of-state vehicle.

“I have mixed feelings,” Moore said Wednesday. “These folks have jobs. And they support families. If they go through the credential process, they shouldn’t be denied.

“But I paid my dues. I’ve been a model citizen. I don’t feel I should have to wait in line for hours, behind newly arrived people who are here illegally.”

Armenta said in recent months service times and appointment wait times “have returned to levels that we saw prior to implementation of AB60.”

For some non-citizens who got the official DMV documents, the licenses were life-changing.

“I have peace of mind now when I go out,” said Miriam Álvarez-Hernández,” 43, of Santa Ana.

“Before, I used to drive only when absolutely necessary. … I also feel more like a part of the community.”

As part of the law to let undocumented drivers get licenses – an idea supported by many driving safety advocates – the DMV engaged in a widespread information campaign.

This included everything from 200 community outreach events at consulates and other locations, to Spanish-language messages on Twitter and Facebook. There’s also a new page on the DMV website dedicated specifically to AB60. And there’s even a new character, “El Sabelotodo del DMV,” the “Mr.-Know-it-All of the DMV,” who appears on a video series to answer frequently asked questions.

The cost to reach and process the new applicants is estimated at $141 million over three years.

Until the 1990s, states did not specifically restrict driver’s licenses to legal residents. But with the passage of AB60, California became one of 10 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, where undocumented immigrants can obtain a license.

But what the licenses look like, what they’re called and how they are issued vary from state to state.

The California license for undocumented immigrants looks a lot like the regular driver’s license, but it includes a statement on the front that says “Federal Limits Apply” and, on the back, a statement that the card is not acceptable for official federal purposes.

Though there’s not yet data to say whether licensing undocumented drivers has made the roads safer, as advocates predicted, another early statistic from AB60 is pleasing a different group – organ transplant advocates.

The number of applicants who have registered to be organ, eye and tissue donors increased by nearly 197,000 donors in 2015, an 18 percent jump from last year, according to Brianne Mundy Page, spokeswoman for Donate Life California.

“Everyone who registers to be an organ, eye and tissue donor is a hero,” Mundy Page said.

Contact the writer: rkopetman@ocregister.com