Thread: Spitzer's immigrant license plan blessed by Catholics

Eliot Spitzer's immigrant license plan blessed by Catholics

BY JOE MAHONEY
DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF

Friday, October 5th 2007, 4:00 AM

ALBANY - Gov. Spitzer's immigrant-friendly driver's license plan won endorsement yesterday from the state Catholic Conference, led by Edward Cardinal Egan, even as county clerks urged it be scrapped.

The Catholic Conference called the governor's move to allow illegal immigrants to qualify for driver's licenses "appropriate," contending allowing them to drive to work amounts to "economic justice."

Meanwhile, state Motor Vehicles Commissioner David Swarts failed to calm a mutiny of county clerks overwhelmingly opposed to the policy. Meeting in Albany, they voted 29-to-4, with three abstentions, to urge the governor to rescind the "ill-advised" rules.

In many upstate counties, the clerks assist the DMV in processing license applications.

"This is going to bring a significant influx of illegal immigration to the state of New York," Saratoga Clerk Kathy Marchione, the president of the clerks' association, told the Daily News.

Marchione said she is one of 13 clerks across the state who will refuse to process applications from illegal immigrants and will instead refer them to state DMV offices when they show up.

Spitzer, in a prepared statement, said new anti-fraud security measures being introduced in the license system "will actually increase" security.

jmahoney@nydailynews.com

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/10 ... _bl-1.html

Who cares what the state catholic conference has to say. They need to keep their noses out of government!