Thread: Washington Senate Votes Down Driver's License Ban for Undocu

Immigration, license bill voted down on WA Senate

OLYMPIA, Wash. —
A Republican-led motion to bring a vote on a bill that would have restricted access to driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and attempted to stop identification fraud was defeated Monday in the state Senate, dealing a major defeat to proponents of the measure.

In a procedural motion, Republicans asked the Senate to consider the bill, which had not been brought to the floor by Democrats, who hold the majority and control over which bills get a vote.

The motion failed 23-25 in the waning minutes of a deadline to vote on bills in their chambers of origin.

Among the "no" votes was chief sponsor Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, but she said that she will take the issue to the governor.

"Nothing is ever dead in the Legislature. I'm going to go talk to the governor," Haugen said. "I'd ask the governor that she needs to stand and take leadership in this role. She needs to recognize what's happening in this nation."

Washington state is one of two in the country that let illegal immigrants obtain driver's licenses. New Mexico is the other state that still allows such practice, but lawmakers there are also considering bills to close the access.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has said that if the Legislature passed a bill dealing with driver's licenses, she would sign it.

The bill would have required applicants for driver's license to provide proof of residency and a Social Security number. Supporters had said the bill aimed to stop identification fraud.

Haugen said that there are 300,000 more driver's licenses in this state than there are drivers.

Opponents, though, had said that it would have led the illegal immigrant community to drive without licenses and car insurance. They also said that the estimated cost of the bill - about $1.5 million in the next two-year budget - is too expensive in a year that the state faces a deficit.

After the defeat, the bill appeared dead. No other licenses bill received a vote on the House.

The vote was the furthest a bill dealing with the driver's license issue has ever gotten in the Legislature.



Haugen, who is the chairwoman of the Senate transportation committee, said that for years she had stopped similar bills because she was worried about the impact on the farm industry, which employs a significant number of illegal immigrants using fake identification.

The senator argued that her bill would put restrictions on identification fraud by imposing stricter rules on state residency, adding that illegal immigrants in the state would have not been affected by the proposed law.

She said that she's concerned that if lawmakers don't act, an initiative will be approved in this state with stricter rules affecting farm workers. But attempts at such initiatives have failed in the last half a decade in the state, with organizers failing to get the signatures needed.

An aide for Democratic Senate Floor Leader Sen. Tracey Eide said she did not have time for questions. Through spokesman Jeff Reading, other Senate leadership declined to comment.

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, said he was disappointed that the bill didn't get a vote, adding that he worries the state will attract more identification fraud.

"We're probably going to be the only state in the union without restrictions," King said.

Late last year, the Department of Licensing tightened rules around obtaining a license, requiring people who can't provide Social Security numbers to prove that they have state residency.

Craig Keller, organizer for Respect WA, the group that has pushed for initiatives with stricter immigration rules, said that it was a shame that the bill didn't get a full vote. "It was a start to bring some sanity to the driver's license issue," Keller said.

Pramila Jayapal, executive director of OneAmerica, whose organization lobbied against the bill, said lawmakers are trying to fill the void left by the federal government's lack of action on immigration law, but that restricting the licenses does not address immigration issues.

"This bill was a threat to road safety, would have driven up insurance premiums for everyone, and costs money that we can ill afford as a state," Jayapal said.


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...writethru.html

The bill would have required applicants for driver's license to provide proof of residency and a Social Security number. Supporters had said the bill aimed to stop identification fraud.

Those that voted no to have driver licences restricted for illegal immigrants have no idea what problems they may have created. Illegal criminals can use driver licences to make fake Green Cards and any other types of I.D.'s to board air flights, employ jobs, enter Federal buildings and do anything legal citizens are able to do in this Country.

Most undocumented aliens are criminals in this Country and what we Americans must do is stop supporting those people and giving them legal rights to commit even more crimes against citizens.

In order to deal with a situation persons must first understand what they are dealing with. The best way to do this is to visit different cities, towns and Counties, speak with people who resides among illegal immigrants and let them explain the fear they feel for themselves and children living around people who have illegally invaded our Country, and are in the U.S. for anything they can gain to satisfy their own needs. Which could include, rape, murder, illegal substance trafficking, and any other crimes can be committed.

When some of us Americans aid and abet illegal criminals we must understand we increase chances for citizens to fall victims at an even greater rate to those unknown, hiding in shadows in our Country, and also give reasons for more to arrive. I have tried to explain this many times, hoping to assist with keeping our Country safer.

Those that oppose don't care what problems they will reap. There is something majorly wrong with the leaders of this country. They have an agenda that does not reflect the will of the American people. I think we need to start a petition to cut our legislators time on the job. If they had a private job and only met once in a while to "rule the country" they would not have to keep finding things to make laws on to make themselves relevent.