Thread: N.M.: Martinez seeks public help on immigrant licenses

Martinez seeks public help on immigrant licenses


By: BARRY MASSEY 02/11/11 7:49 PM
Associated Press

Republican Gov. Susana Martinez moved Friday to try to increase pressure on the Democratic-controlled Legislature to scrap a law allowing illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

Martinez urged New Mexicans to call lawmakers and demand an end to the state's license law for immigrants. The governor contended it's a security risk to give driver's licenses to those living illegally in the country.

"Why I encourage people to call their legislators is because we have to make sure that the legislators are doing the people's business," Martinez said at a news conference.

The governor's comments came a day after a House committee — on a party-line vote — shelved what a GOP lawmaker contended was a compromise to revoke licenses for illegal immigrants but allow them to have annually renewable driving permits, which would not serve as a form of identification. Democrats on the committee supported the effort to bottle up the bill, dooming it for the session.

Martinez did not support the bill. Instead she wants legislation that would stop the licensing practice and cancel the more than 80,000 licenses given so far to foreign nationals. The state contends it doesn't know how many of the licenses have gone to illegal immigrants because it does not ask the immigration status of license applicants.

Rep. Andy Nunez, a Hatch independent, said he's optimistic his bill to stop licenses for illegal immigrants can clear two committees and reach the House floor. Sen. John Ryan, R-Albuquerque, is sponsoring a similar bill backed by the governor.

Elsa Lopez of Santa Fe-based Somos Un Pueblo Unido, an immigrant rights group, said the state's license law has helped improve public safety by lessening fear among immigrants to report crimes to police. She also said the state has ample safeguards for verifying the identification provided by immigrants to obtain a driver's license.

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It would be one bad mistake to allow undocumented aliens obtain drivers licences. This Country just cannot accept anymore criminal acts and vehicle assaults from illegal immigrants.

Understand the side effects of anything you do, before you do it!!!

Martinez Seeks To Revoke Licenses For Illegal Immigrants
Immigrant Advocates Disapprove Of Martinez's Bill
POSTED: 9:11 am MST February 12, 2011
UPDATED: 11:35 pm MST February 12, 2011

Comments 26

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and a group of state lawmakers plan to revoke the driver's licenses of illegal immigrants.

During her campaing, Martinez promised to crackdown on illegal immigration. She is getting behind a bill that would prevent illegal immigrants from getting a driver's license. It would also revoke ones that have already been issued to illegals.

"Giving licenses to people who're here illegally is wrong," Martinez said.

Martinez said the bill is mostly about security, saying that New Mexico can no longer afford to be one of the few states that allow illegal immigrants to get a license.

"This needs to stop immediately," Martinez said.

But in the legislature, some lawmakers are skeptical the bill will get out of committee. A bill that was largely viewed as a compromise on the issue, that would've issued illegals a temporary, driving permit, was killed in committee earlier this week.

Marcela Diaz and a small group of other immigrant advocates voiced their disagreement with Martinez's proposal. They said if the governor is concerned with public safety, this bill is not the way to show it.

“Drivers licenses for immigrants, regardless of immigration status, have been proven to be good for public safety," Diaz said. "Not only is this going to erode the gains we've made in public safety, but it's going to harm our economy." The governor's office said more than 80,000 illegal immigrants carry New Mexico driver's licenses or state I.D.


http://www.koat.com/news/26844711/detail.html

GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ URGES END TO DRIVER’S LICENSES FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Published 02/12/2011 - 7:24 a.m. CST

Governor Susana Martinez SANTA FE - Governor Susana Martinez held a news conference yesterday at the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue to voice her strong support for ending the issuance of New Mexico driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Since 2003, New Mexico has issued over 82,000 driver’s licenses and nearly 3,000 identification cards to foreign nationals without determining immigration status. The Governor was joined by Representative Andy Nuñez (I-Hatch) and Senator John Ryan (R-Albuquerque), who will be carrying legislation to change the current policy.

“Strengthening our licensing laws is a matter of public safety,â€

Couldn't Martinez order an executive order to the DMV that while they won't "deny" liscenses to illegals verifable proof of ID is required with making a list of acceptable forms of ID.

Such like many other states where you need 2 forms of Photo ID. One being an expired liscense of another state or that state that is less then 3 months old. SS card. Passport. Residency papers. and a few other forms of US ID?

Sure, if the illegal has a passport of a legal ID from another state less then 3 months old they could still technically recieve a DL but w/o nope. Call it a proof of identity change.

Least it would be a step to slow it down massively.