Thread: NM governor launches crackdown on foreign national driver's

NM governor launches crackdown on foreign national driver's licenses

El Paso Times (Texas)
July 20, 2011 Wednesday
By Milan Simonich / Santa Fe Bureau
SANTA FE, NM

Gov. Susana Martinez today said her administration will initiate an additional certification system for illegal immigrants who obtain New Mexico driver's licenses.

"New Mexico's driver's license is not secure. We are one of only two states that offer driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, and our state has become a destination spot for people from other states and around the world who wish to receive an official government-issued ID card," Martinez said.

To tighten the system, Martinez said, the state will now begin a residency certification program for those who have obtained a foreign national driver's license.

Beginning today, the Motor Vehicle Division will send letters to a random sample of 10,000 foreign nationals who have received New Mexico driver's licenses.

Each person will have 30 days to schedule an in-person appointment with the MVD to verify New Mexico residency.

Martinez, a Republican, tried but failed to outlaw driver's licenses for illegal immigrants in last winter's legislative session.

She said she intends to revive the issue during a special legislative session in autumn.

Please see Wednesday's print edition for more details.

Santa Fe Bureau Chief Milan Simonich can be reached at msimonich@tnmnp.com or 505-820-6898. His blog is at nmcapitolreport.com.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 07&start=1

Related Thread Here
Immigrants say N.M. governor on shaky ground

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-244114-gov ... s+licenses

Originally Posted by working4change

Related Thread Here
Immigrants say N.M. governor on shaky ground

And we all know that illegals have a greater say in our government than American citizens. 2012 can't come soon enough.

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-6430--0-0.html

1,100 respond to NM driver's license verification letters

By Milan Simonich
Posted: 08/04/2011 12:04:23 AM MDT

SANTA FE - About 1,100 people so far have set up appointments with state motor vehicle officials to verify that they are New Mexico residents.
Gov. Susana Martinez provided the number Wednesday. Those who have responded to letters from Martinez's administration account for 11 percent of the 10,000 people targeted for residency checks.

All 10,000 are listed in the state's database of "foreign nationals" who have New Mexico driver's licenses. Some of those people, though, could be U.S. citizens who obtained their licenses with identification other than a Social Security number.

Martinez said she is seeking residency verification because New Mexico's driver's license law makes the state vulnerable to fraud. New Mexico is one of three states that issues licenses without requiring proof of immigration status.

The intent of the law, approved in 2003 when Democrat Bill Richardson was governor, was to make it possible for illegal immigrants living in New Mexico to obtain licenses so they could drive to work and buy auto insurance.

But Martinez said the licensing law had turned New Mexico into a magnet for illegal immigrants from other states.
Several have been arrested trying to fraudulently obtain New Mexico driver's licenses. They included people from Mexico, Poland and China.

Martinez said she could not estimate the total expense of the residency verification program.
A company hired to operate a call center for those setting up appointments will cost $49,000.


Martinez said additional costs would depend on how many of the 10,000 comply with state's order that they appear in Albuquerque or Las Cruces to verify their residency.

An executive of the state Taxation and Revenue Department said the agency would absorb the cost of the call center in its existing budget.
Martinez will try next month during a special legislative session to repeal the law making it possible for illegal immigrants to obtain New Mexico driver's licenses. She lost on the issue last winter when Senate Democrats closed ranks to stop the repeal.

About 85,000 people are listed in the state's database of "foreign" drivers. They account for about 5 percent of the 1.6 million people with New Mexico driver's licenses.

The 10,000 subject to residency checks may provide a glimpse at how much fraud has occurred under the licensing law, Martinez said.


http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_18613766