Thread: N.Y.: 'ALIEN' LICENSE PLAN HITS A NEW POTHOLE

'ALIEN' LICENSE PLAN HITS A NEW POTHOLE
By KENNETH LOVETT Post Correspondent


October 25, 2007 -- ALBANY - Problems with scanners to be used to verify documents from illegal aliens applying for driver's licenses threaten to undermine Gov. Spitzer's controversial plan.
EDITORIAL: Eliot's Miracle Machines

Recent testing by the Department of Motor Vehicles found bogus documents were undetected by special scanning machines that are supposed to weed out counterfeit passports, foreign birth certificates and other key documents that illegal aliens would be able to use to obtain licenses, the Times Union of Albany reported yesterday.

According to the newspaper, the equipment has regularly failed to recognize counterfeit U.S.-issued resident-alien cards and fake state driver's licenses, including documents deliberately designed to look like forgeries.

The problems with the scanners arose just weeks before the state is due to begin offering licenses to illegal aliens on Dec. 1.

A press conference scheduled for yesterday to demonstrate the new technology was said to be abruptly canceled, although a Spitzer spokeswoman denied the date had been set in stone.

Critics - from county clerks to state lawmakers - said the testing problems prove their arguments that Spitzer's plan was ill-timed, not properly prepared, and threatens state and national security.

"This alarming news should send a chill down the spines of those 72 percent of New Yorkers . . . who believe that Gov. Spitzer's proposal would lessen our safety and our security," said Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, citing the results of a recent poll.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said the Senate will hold a hearing to look into the technology issue and warned that his Republican majority will not support state funding in next year's budget for the equipment or staff to implement the plan.

He noted that Spitzer "arrogantly" moved ahead with the plan despite the DMV's assessment that there was no known independent analysis of the equipment's performance.

Spitzer, with little advance warning, announced last month his plan to no longer require driver's-license applicants to provide Social Security numbers or letters from the Social Security Administration proving a person is not eligible for such a number, instead allowing the use of other identification documents like passports and birth certificates.

Spitzer argued the move would make the roads safer and improve national security by creating public records on people currently living in "the shadows."

He has staunchly defended his plan against a torrent of criticism by touting the new anti-fraud technology he said would improve security.

The state entered into a nearly $1.5 million contract with Viisage, an electronic security company, on Sept. 11 - a little more than a week before he made his plan public - in which the firm would develop, install and maintain 100 of the document-verification machines across the state.

Spitzer aides, noting the technology is used in 21 other states, yesterday downplayed the testing problems, saying they have heard of no major glitches and that they are still on deadline to implement the plan on time.

But at a New York City appearance Spitzer insisted the state will not move forward until everything is working properly.

"We are not setting arbitrary deadlines," Spitzer said. "What I have said is when the technology is tested, implemented, ready to go, then we will begin this."

An official with Viisage parent L-1 Identity Solutions referred calls to an outside spokeswoman, who promised to return a call but did not.

Additional reporting by Dan Kadison

www.nypost.com

Another reason that Spitzer's dangerous scheme has to be stopped.

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Call the Senate: NO AgJOBS Amnesty (for 3.3 million) !