Thread: IL: House approves driving 'certificates'

House approves driving 'certificates'

SPRINGFIELD (AP) — The Illinois House voted Wednesday to give illegal immigrants a way to drive legally on the state’s roads, a move supporters say will be controversial but should improve highway safety.

Illinois police organizations support the measure. But Secretary of State Jesse White, who oversees licensing, is staying neutral, and many lawmakers remain skeptical about accommodating people in the country illegally.

Tennessee suspended a similar program after just 18 months because of fraud and forgery there.

The Illinois legislation would offer driving “certificates” to people who lack the valid Social Security number needed to obtain a regular license. The certificates would allow them to drive and buy auto insurance, but they couldn’t be used as official identification.

The measure passed 60-56 and now goes to the Senate.

David Garcia is praying it becomes law.

He came to the United States illegally 20 years ago, at 19. Eventually he learned to drive and, using a fake Social Security number to get a driver’s license, got a job as a trucker making $18 or $19 an hour.

“I loved it. I liked to be on the road,” the Chicago resident said.

But his deception was discovered and he lost his job two years ago, Garcia said. Since then he has worked in a warehouse at half his former pay, and now he’s out of work altogether.

The certificate proposal wouldn’t allow Garcia to become a trucker again, but he says it would improve people’s lives. It’s not a government favor for people breaking the law, he said, but a way to make roads safer and help legal drivers, while recognizing the reality that immigrants are here, too.

“I’m really praying God they pass this law. It will be a benefit for a lot of people that live in this country,” Garcia said. “We need to drive. We have to drive to get to our jobs.”

Supporters estimate some 250,000 immigrants, illegal or not, already are driving in Illinois without proper training and insurance. If they get into traffic accidents, many of those people will flee and leave the other driver stuck with any repair costs or hospital bills.

The certificate program would reduce that problem, which drives up insurance costs for legal drivers, supporters said. They dismissed the idea that illegal immigrants might continue fleeing accident scenes out of fear of the police, saying people know police don’t alert immigration officials in routine traffic stops.

The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Sheriffs Association backed the measure.

One reason they offered is that it would make traffic stops safer for officers. Right now, officers who stop an immigrant don’t know anything about that person. Under the certificate program, they would be able to check the driver’s record for any history of violence.

“It will absolutely be a bonus for law enforcement,” said Laimutis Nargelenas, a deputy director of the chiefs association.

Opponents, however, say their constituents are baffled at the idea of setting up immigration laws and then altering government programs to assist people who break those laws.

“Let’s just knock down the borders. Let’s give everybody a certificate saying, ’Thanks for being here. You’re a great American,”’ said Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Greenville.

Tennessee created a similar program in 2004 but suspended it after about 18 months.

Sen. Bill Ketron sponsored the Tennessee certificate law and now is sponsoring legislation to eliminate it. He said people use forged documents to obtain the certificates and came in from other states and then went home to exchange the certificates for full-fledged licenses.

“It’s been a disaster,” the Murfreesboro Republican said. “If they’re proceeding with it (in Illinois), go into it with your eyes open.”

Supporters say the Illinois measure contains safeguards to prevent similar problems.

To get the certificates, people would have to provide a photo ID, such as a passport from their native country, and submit fingerprints. They would also have to prove they’ve obtained insurance within a month or the certificate would be canceled. The certificates would cost $60, compared to $10 for a driver’s license.

The sponsor, Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, also argued that the Illinois secretary of state’s office would do a better job of guarding against fraud.

Jesse White isn’t taking a position. “It’s a tough issue. We see some good arguments on both sides,” said spokesman Dave Druker.

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The bill is HB1100.

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On the Net: www.ilga.gov


http://www.nwherald.com/articles/200...7803498975.txt

Tennessee suspended a similar program after just 18 months because of fraud and forgery there.

OMG! You mean these fine illegal aliens might not tell the TRUTH???

Are the driving certificates good for Truck drivers? Will other states have to honor them? Airports? Banks?

Originally Posted by jimpasz

Are the driving certificates good for Truck drivers? Will other states have to honor them? Airports? Banks?

I'll betcha BOA will accept them!

I am completely flabbergasted. Can I get on my knees and literally beg the good people on this board to call/fax/bug our senators?

I will get the numbers/names/whatever needed. Or if another Illinoisians beats me -great.

This is a pandora's box waiting to be opened. I felt so great this morning seeing the call to action from William. Didn't see this coming...

HELP (okay, I'm shouting, but I think you all will forgive me.).

We will help fight this in the IL Senate if we have enough time to make a difference.

W

Thanks William and alipac. I have been told it will happen within a month's time and possibly as early as next week.

Here is the article our local pro-illegal paper printed today. Geesch...

(blatant plug: if you have time go over to this link and send a quick email to our Ill. senators to stop this madness.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=58792

Driver's certificate bill for immigrants advances in House
(http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article)

March 29, 2007

By RYAN PAGELOW Rpagelow@scn1.com

Legislation that would allow immigrants without Social Security numbers the chance to acquire driver's certificates and drive legally passed the Illinois House 60-56 on Wednesday.

The Roadway Safety and Mandatory Insurance Coverage Act now moves on to the state Senate.

"This is a big step forward for roadway safety in Illinois," said State Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, who sponsored the bill. "This bill will benefit all people in Illinois, making safer roads all across the state."

An estimated 250,000 adult drivers in Illinois do not have Social Security numbers and cannot get an Illinois driver's license or auto insurance. Uninsured drivers are involved in an estimated 76,000 accidents each year causing $630 million in damage claims.

The bill has received support from law enforcement associations and police chiefs, including Mundelein Police Chief Raymond Rose.

"I support it because I think everyone on the road should be licensed and insured. If not, they put everyone at an unnecessary risk," Rose said. "I personally know people who have been involved in traffic accidents with people with no insurance or hit-and-run accidents. This starts to drive up everybody's insurance costs. Hopefully, this is going to have some impact on this. You need to prove that you have insurance."

The judicial system is bogged down with unlicensed drivers who don't show up to court, he added. A new database with fingerprints and photographs of those getting the driving certificates would help police keep track of them and know who they are.

"We can't just keep sitting and talking about what the problem is. I think that this bill is the starting point for solutions," Rose said.

Last year, the bill narrowly failed in the House by a vote of 59-52.

State Rep. Kathy Ryg, D-Vernon Hills, said she became a co-sponsor of the bill after language was tightened up and it received support from law enforcement organizations.

"It's a public safety issue," she said. "This measure will ensure that people have the proper credential to drive and have insurance."

Wednesday's vote in the House comes a week after about 2,500 immigrants and their supporters held a rally in Springfield, including about 200 people from Waukegan.

Ricardo Rosas, a truck driver and a Northeastern Illinois University student from Waukegan who participated in the rally, said the bill would alleviate the frustration immigrants have for Waukegan's controversial vehicle seizure ordinance.

"There are a lot of people in Waukegan who need to drive to work and take kids to school," Rosas said. "If the certificate goes through they will be safer and the police will not be towing as many people for not having a license."

He added, "The immigrant community wants to do things the right way if they have the opportunity."

Someone sent me this information;

To get the certificates, people would have to provide a photo ID, such as a passport from their native country, and submit fingerprints. They would also have to prove they’ve obtained insurance within a month or the certificate would be canceled. The certificates would cost $60, compared to $10 for a driver’s license.

The sponsor, Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, also argued that the Illinois secretary of state’s office would do a better job of guarding against fraud.

I'm going to send this article to my senators today. What a disaster in the making. Imagine busing in people from other states to get license certificates. Somebody didn't do their research.

This is an article I'm going to send to the senators today.

http://www.corruptionchronicles.com/ill ... migration/

January 31, 2006
Illegal Immigrant Driving Certificates On Black Market

In 2004 Tennessee became the first state to offer illegal immigrants driving certificates and the plan has backfired in a big way. It turns out that the certificates are hot black-market items that have been purchased by illegal aliens in numerous states, not just Tennessee.

Recent federal arrests exposed shuttles that bring South and Central American immigrants from other states, like New Jersey, to licensing centers in Knoxville where the certificates are obtained. Another federal sweep revealed a conspiracy in which license examiners in Murfreesboro accepted bribes in exchanged for the driving certificates.

The attorney for a woman accused of bringing 100 immigrants from New Jersey to Knoxville for certificates said the government is overreacting because his client represents workers, not terrorists. “None of these Mexican immigrants are in flight school anywhere,” he said.

Fire and Hammer points out that this case proves that when you make up a law to help justify an illegal activity, you encourage more illegal activity. If Tennessee wants to stop "outsiders" from taking advantage of this law, they only have to commit to putting handcuffs on anyone (from inside or outside the state) who shows up to get a certificate. They are after all illegal immigrants.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=58792

go to this link if you can send a quick email. I blocked them for quick sending. SAVE OUR STATE

Sent letters to all of the members of the Illinois State Senate my letter is in the focus thread for Illinois.