California has issued more than half a million driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally under a program that began this year.

Armando Botello, a spokesman for the state's Department of Motor Vehicles, said Friday that the milestone was reached last week.

The state expects to issue 1.4 million licenses to immigrants in the country illegally in the program's first three years. The program is aimed at making the roads safer and immigrants' lives easier.

The new licenses initially generated huge interest, with long lines at DMV offices in January and February.