Thread: NY: High court says state can deny driver's licenses

High court says state can deny driver's licenses to illegal immigrants


Associated Press - June 7, 2007 11:45 AM ET

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The state's highest court rejected a lawsuit today that sought to require the state to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

In the 5 to 2 decision, the Court of Appeals ruled that the DMV has the right to insist that driver's license applicants have valid federal immigrant documents.

The policy of requiring those documents was enacted September 6th, 2001 and the state began cracking down in 2004. The lawsuit began that year when several immigrants were faced with the loss of their licenses. In 2005, a state Supreme Court judge in Manhattan sided with immigrants and order the state to stop seizing the licenses of immigrants without Social Security cards. The judge argued in part that the DMV couldn't enforce immigration law.

That decision was overturned in July 2006 by an appellate court.

About a dozen states deny driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.


http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=6626025

Well this is a good decision. The Ohio BMV also requires immigration documents for immigrants wanting a license. There is a way around this. I'm not saying what it is, but a smart illegal immigrant can still get a license. However, if ALL states required the same type of documentation, illegals would be refused a license.

No state should allow an illegal alien to have a driving license. One of the reason is that they see nothing wrong with driving drunk. they have disobeyed our immigration laws so they don't have to obey other laws. Remember that this people are here illegally and have broken more than one law.

This should be a no-brainer.
Allowing people who are in our country illegally to obtain driver's licenses is like saying 'it's ok you've broken our laws, we'll reward you with a driver's license.'

Originally Posted by jean

This should be a no-brainer.
Allowing people who are in our country illegally to obtain driver's licenses is like saying 'it's ok you've broken our laws, we'll reward you with a driver's license.'

Exactly, Jean, this claim by the high court should have been made by the Federal Supreme Court.