http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?a ... S-02-21-06

New Mexico institutes new rules for licenses

By KATE NASH
Scripps-McClatchy Western Service
21-FEB-06

SANTA FE, N.M. -- A plan to strengthen New Mexico's driver's license requirements by requiring fingerprints from foreign nationals stalled in the just-ended legislative session.

But Gov. Bill Richardson announced new rules Tuesday for license applicants aimed at improving national security while still permitting foreign nationals to drive legally in New Mexico.

In the past, a foreign national could get a state license by showing a single form of identification, such as a matricula consular issued by the Mexican Consulate, or foreign passport.

The new regulations will require two pieces of identification, including a U.S. federal identification number and a passport, according to a statement issued by Richardson's office.

"We want to take every possible step to crack down on fraudulent attempts to get a driver's license in New Mexico," said Tim Manning, director of Homeland Security for New Mexico.

In addition, Richardson has directed the Taxation and Revenue Department to audit records to determine whether licenses issued to foreign nationals in the past were based on authentic documents. If the Motor Vehicles Division has good cause to believe that a license was obtained fraudulently, it could cancel the license.

The regulation changes follow announcement by a New York group planning to put up billboards saying, "Don't License Terrorists, New Mexico."

Henry Buhl, chairman of the New York nonprofit Coalition for a Secure License, said his group thinks New Mexico and several other states should require more documents from people applying for a driver's license.

In 2003, New Mexico became the first state to allow immigrants to get a license using the matricula. Several other states have followed suit.

Buhl said his campaign isn't directed at immigrants.

He'd like to see other states require identification from everyone including a passport, a Social Security number and a birth certificate, as well as proof of residency and biometric identifiers such as a digital photo.

His group also wants states to issue driver's licenses that expire on the day a foreign national's visa expires, although Buhl said he's not against immigrants.

"We're against terrorists," he said. "Anybody can get a license and move around the country."

In defense of the matricula measure, Richardson has said it has helped reduce the number of uninsured drivers by making it easier for immigrants to get licenses. New Mexico requires proof of insurance to drive.



(Contact The Tribune in Albuquerque, N.M., at http://www.abqtrib.com.)