Thread: GA: Language referring to illegal immigrants and vehicle sei

Last modified 3/25/2008 - 11:46 pm
Originally created 032608

Illegal drivers measure reworked


Language referring to illegal immigrants and vehicle seizures deleted.

By Jake Armstrong, The Times-Union


ATLANTA - With immigrants' rights advocates on one side and a Republican lawmaker on the other, a House bill authorizing police to seize illegal immigrants' vehicles had all the makings of a stormy political showdown.

The bill's author, Rep. James Mills, R-Gainesville, said such a get-tough policy is needed to keep legal drivers safe. Opponents decried the bill as an overreaction to the nation's faulty immigration policy and a catalyst for racial profiling.

But that was last week.

House Bill 978 was reworked in the Senate Public Safety Committee and now contains no reference to illegal immigrants or language allowing vehicle seizures.

Motorists who were never issued a license would have their cars impounded if police catch them driving, according to the bill, which is headed for a vote on the Senate floor.

Also missing in the newest version is a $1,000 fine - on top of impound fees - that critics called insurmountable for poor drivers who might get pulled over or get into an accident on a trip to the corner store.

Yet some aligned against HB 978 and a similar measure that already has cleared both chambers are concerned that illegal immigrants - and many legal Georgians, for that matter - are still in the cross hairs.

Any vehicle impounded under HB 978 will only be released to an owner with an unexpired driver's license, something illegal immigrants are unable to obtain and some Georgians simply don't have, said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director for the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.

"Again, it goes into the whole vicious cycle that undocumented immigrants don't have access to driver's licenses," Gonzalez said.

Another measure aimed at unlicensed drivers, Senate Bill 350, would increase criminal penalties for driving without a license and make the offense a felony if the driver is arrested four times within five years. Sponsored by Sen. John Wiles, R-Kennesaw, SB 350 is headed to Gov. Sonny Perdue's desk after clearing both chambers.

Gonzalez said SB 350 would lead to mandatory sentences to juveniles who drive without a license.

Wiles has said the bill, along with another he introduced this year, is an attempt to close a loophole in state law that grants some leniency to people who drive without a license. It was also partly a response to the death of a Cobb County Sheriff's deputy who was killed by an unlicensed driver in Wiles' district.

Wiles could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Mills did not respond to requests for comments this week, but from the introduction of his bill he has maintained that illegal immigrants were not the target.

"There are those today that you will hear from that want to turn this into an ethnic argument. That's not the intent. But make no mistake about it, if you are in the state of Georgia and you are here illegally, then that is my full intent: to protect legal Georgia citizens," Mills said in presenting his bill to the House Public Safety Committee.

Even with the removal of the two lightning rod-like words - illegal immigrant - debate over who the bill targets continued after an amended version cleared the House on a 104-51 vote and a markedly different version landed last week before a Senate Public Safety subcommittee.

"Just because we put lipstick on a pig does not make it anything other than a pig," Gonzalez told the subcommittee. He called it an "overreaction to a broken immigration system."

www.jacksonville.com

THIS WILL HURT NO ONE. ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A LICENSE TO DRIVE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING ANYWAY....NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE.

Any vehicle impounded under HB 978 will only be released to an owner with an unexpired driver's license, something illegal immigrants are unable to obtain and some Georgians simply don't have, said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director for the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.

"Again, it goes into the whole vicious cycle that undocumented immigrants don't have access to driver's licenses," Gonzalez said.

This allows a loophole for employers who allow unlicensed, illegal immigrants to drive work vehicles to reclaim the vehicle. If an employer allows an unlicensed driver to drive a company vehicle, the company should lose the vehicle.

Gonzalez said SB 350 would lead to mandatory sentences to juveniles who drive without a license.

A driver's license is a requirement for anyone driving a vehicle. And juveniles under the age of 16 shouldn't be driving at all without a learner's permit and accompanied by an adult over the age of 21.

"We enforce our laws, and we defend law-abiding citizens. And we reserve the benefits of citizenship for legal residents."
Matt Blunt Governor of Missouri

"Again, it goes into the whole vicious cycle that undocumented immigrants don't have access to driver's licenses," Gonzalez said.

If they have no license, they shouldn't be driving. What's so hard to understand about that?

"If they have no license, they shouldn't be driving. What's so hard to understand about that?"

Nothing, but the employers and Mexico wants them to have the licenses. They can get better paying jobs illegally if they have a license. What is wrong with my country? We have been invaded and only a few fight back. Others help the invaders.

Again, it goes into the whole vicious cycle that undocumented immigrants don't have access to driver's licenses," Gonzalez said.

The only "vicious cycle" here is that your beloved illegal invader continue to pour across our southern borders, unchecked ,only to find traitors like you Mr. Gonzales, lobbying on their behalf for rights and benefits that are reserved for American Citizens only!

Get over it! If you do not like our policies in this country, you know what you can do...