Thread: 3 states see jump in licenses for illegals

BURIEN, Wash. - Carlos Hernandez packed up his family and left Arizona after the state passed its sweeping immigration crackdown. The illegal immigrant's new home outside Seattle offered something Arizona could not: a driver's license.

Three states - Washington, New Mexico and Utah - allow illegal immigrants to get licenses because their laws do not require proof of citizenship or legal residency. An Associated Press analysis found that those states have seen a surge in immigrants seeking IDs in recent months, a trend experts attribute to crackdowns on illegal immigration in Arizona and elsewhere.

"It's difficult being undocumented and not having an identification," said Hernandez, of Puebla, Mexico. "You can use the Mexican ID, but people look down on it."

An American driver's license is also a requirement for many jobs.

The immigration debate has thrown a spotlight on the license programs, which supporters say make financial sense because unlicensed drivers typically do not carry car insurance. Opponents insist the laws attract illegal immigrants and criminals.

"Washington state and New Mexico have been magnet states for the fraudulent document brokers, human traffickers and alien smugglers for years," said Brian Zimmer, president of the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License, a nonprofit research group in Washington, D.C.

State officials in New Mexico dispute that claim.

He said there is mounting evidence that the spike in license applications is a result of pressure on immigrants in states such as Arizona and Oklahoma, where police have been authorized to help enforce federal immigration laws.

Republican lawmakers in New Mexico and Washington state have pushed to tighten the laws in recent years, only to be thwarted by Democrats. The issue is less heated in Utah, where illegal immigrant licenses carry only driving privileges. People cannot use the IDs to board a plane, get a job or buy alcohol, for example.

Candidates in New Mexico's governor's race have made the licenses a campaign theme, with the Republican saying she would revoke IDs granted to illegal and legal immigrants since the state enacted the law in 2003. The Democratic candidate opposes illegal-immigrant licenses but prefers a softer approach.

The AP analysis of data in the three states revealed some striking numbers: The rate of licenses issued to immigrants during the 10 weeks that followed approval of the Arizona law reflected a 60 percent increase over the annual average for last year.

By comparison, the rate of licenses issued to non-immigrants during the same period increased only modestly.

Among the other findings:

• New Mexico issued 10,257 licenses to immigrants through the first six months of 2010, compared with 13,481 for all of 2009. The pace has intensified since April, when neighboring Arizona passed its immigration law. The figures include both illegal immigrants and legal residents from outside the U.S.

• New Mexico issued about 417 licenses a week to immigrants from the day after Arizona passed its law through July 1. That is a big jump from the 323 per week it was issuing from Jan. 1 to the day before the law passed.

• Utah handed out 41,000 illegal immigrant licenses for 2010 through June 7, compared with 43,429 for all of 2008.

• Washington granted 3,200 licenses to people from outside the U.S. through June, exceeding the pace of 5,992 for all of 2009.

Hernandez said he and his family moved to Washington because he and his wife were spooked by the Arizona law that requires officers to check a person's immigration status when enforcing other laws. A federal judge has put most of the law on hold, saying it may be unconstitutional.

Hernandez said he knows other illegal immigrants who considered New Mexico because of the ease of getting a license without documents. But he and others thought Washington would be safer.

"I know that it's not OK for people who come here to cross the border, but there's people that come here that want to contribute … that want to follow the rules," said Hernandez, 31.

Posted in Border, Tim-korte-and-manuel-valdes on Saturday, August 14, 2010 12:00 am Updated: 12:03 am.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/border/ ... 17f3c.html

The United States must not issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens. Illegal means illegal. Therefore, they must not get driver's licenses. It is time to stop illegal immigration. They must leave this country.

How the hell
do they get away with this don't they check the American have to show every thing what the hell with The Gov . but them In jail the gov better do I better job omg they are getting away with every thing Gov you better come up with some thing better not just in jail for a day or two what the hell do they do go over to the Border & come back again come on gov Get with this .this has to End put your foot down . or Better still let Gov Jan & joe & ICe do it I know the job will get done

Originally Posted by immigration2009

The United States must not issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens. Illegal means illegal. Therefore, they must not get driver's licenses. It is time to stop illegal immigration. They must leave this country.

I could Not have say it Better you are 100% right

Many states have misguidedly issued licenses to illegals, but they pretty much instantly woke up and changed their minds.

These three states will wake up eventually, though the governor in New Mexico might hold back for his race's advancements until a pro-American governor gets into that office.

Americans, and many in "we the people's" government offices, are waking up very quickly as they see the corrupt and filthy writing on the walls of their falling survivals in their own nation of America.

Funny how people wake and see reality when their own existence and survival rate is attacked one-on-one.

Originally Posted by GR

Many states have misguidedly issued licenses to illegals, but they pretty much instantly woke up and changed their minds.

These three states will wake up eventually....Funny how people wake and see reality when their own existence and survival rate is attacked one-on-one.

Well said.

OMG! I'm tired of them getting away with everything!
Just today I counted 36 Mexicans in vans ,suvs and big cars so they can run when they crash into some innocent person. They can't read the signs and of course they would come to WA and not go to NM we bow down to them and we are a lot farther away from Arizona then NM.Chicken Shi##

We have had shootings and drive buys and Someday I will tell you what happen to me in a movie parking lot ,stupid me didn't call the cops. But anyways They are taking over our town .I despise them and I do not back down from them .A couple of streets down a few house were up for sale for like a year and yep while Most Americans cannot buy houses they bought 3 almost in a row and you go it they have turned it into little Mexico and the dam kids ride all over the street while 20 people sit on their butts downing beer.
Soon we will have to move out because they spread like roaches been their done that.Thought i found peace..That's all I want is peace and quite and know that I can sleep with my window open .They have taken my security away or I should say OBAMAs Babies took it away! Ok I'm shutting up...Just in a foul mood...);

In Ca when you get a license they give you a form to register to vote. I wonder if these other states are doing the same thing. Is this a pathway for illegal aliens to register to vote.

I remember when one Bush was ranting about needing to build a border wall, the other brother, Jeb, wanted to let illegals get drivers licenses in Florida--at the request of corporate orange/ect farms because when the illegals are driving from one orange field to the next field on company owned farm machinery, company insurance won't cover an illegal driver on the public roads between fields.

Smoke and mirrors.

Here's how to do it!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Bangladeshi_barrier

The Indo-Bangladeshi barrier or Indo-Bangladeshi border fencing is a 4,000-kilometer fence that India is presently constructing to seal off the Indian-Bangladeshi international border in order to prevent illegal immigration and the smuggling of weapons and narcotics.

The barrier is just under three meters high with the aim of stopping the infiltration of terrorists and preventing smuggling and large-scale illegal immigration from Bangladesh into neighbouring Indian states.

The fence will also be electrified at some stretches.