Thread: Georgia to crack down on illegals abusing state ID system

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stor ... ily20.html

Gov. Sonny Perdue on Wednesday announced the launch of Georgia SecureID, a $1 million initiative to help prevent illegal immigrants from using fraudulently obtained Georgia IDs and driver's licenses to get jobs and bilk state-funded services.

The governor said Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) investigators will be put in the 10 highest-need DDS Customer Service Centers throughout the state to crack down on the use of fraudulent documents. These investigators will review suspicious documents, such as fraudulent birth certificates, out-of-state licenses/ID cards, passports, I-94 immigration documents and social security cards. They will question people who produce fraudulent documents; make arrests, issue warrants and provide court testimony in cases of DDS ID fraud; conduct follow-up investigations on the sources of fraudulent documents in conjunction with law enforcement agencies; provide regional investigative support to surrounding DDS Customer Service Centers; and provide training to center examiners on document recognition.

The Georgia SecureID program will be funded with about $1 million from the fiscal 2007 amended or fiscal 2008 budget cycle.

"I firmly believe that if we don't address the issues that are important to the average person, we don't deserve to govern," Perdue said. "I don't need a poll to tell me this is important to Georgians, because I've been hearing from our citizens loud and clear on this issue. The bottom line is this -- we will not welcome those who break our laws."

Also, three new GBI agents will be dedicated to conduct follow-up/investigations of fraud issues including identity theft, human trafficking, drug trafficking and other crimes. DDS will partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on identifying document and benefit fraud.

"It is simply unacceptable for people to sneak into this country illegally on Thursday, obtain a government-issued ID on Friday, head for the welfare office on Monday and cast a vote on Tuesday," Perdue said. "We owe this to the people of Georgia who foot the bill for public services. We've already passed some of the strongest anti-illegal immigration laws in the country, and now we're taking steps to protect our state on the front end of the licensing process."

Perdue's office said illegal immigrants in Georgia are using valid state ID's obtained illegally to get jobs and use state-funded services. DDS reports 88 percent of ID fraud cases in 2005 involved either a non-U.S. citizen or fraudulent foreign documentation. Perdue's office also said fraudulent identity documents are a threat to homeland security, noting that at least seven of the 9-11 hijackers had genuine Virginia identity documents procured through fraud.

GA = Model