Martinez to face lawsuit on driver's license program

Martinez to face lawsuit on driver's license program
Silver City Sun-News
By Milan Simonich
Posted: 08/24/2011 12:39:31 AM MDT

SANTA FE - A national civil rights group will file a lawsuit today against Gov. Susana Martinez's administration, claiming it unlawfully has tried to force 10,000 people to verify their residency.

The suit is being bought by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. The organization said it is filing the case in state court on behalf of certain New Mexico legislators and residents.

Martinez, an ardent opponent of a state law that allows illegal immigrants to obtain New Mexico driver's licenses, this summer authorized a residency verification program aimed at foreign nationals.

The state Taxation and Revenue Department sent letters to 10,000 people. It instructed them to travel in person to Albuquerque or Las Cruces to verify their residency.

Though New Mexico issues driver's licenses without requiring proof of immigration status, applicants must live in the state.

Martinez said fraud has been a persistent problem in the licensing program. Illegal immigrants from from as far away as Chicago have been arrested while trying to obtain New Mexico driver's licenses.

MALDEF executives say Martinez's Residency Certification Program "singles out a specific class of individuals for an onerous and wasteful exercise of state resources."

The organization also said the program was never considered or authorized by the state Legislature.

Martinez, a Republican, initiated the residency checks as a executive decision, authorizing $49,000 for a call center to handle questions and setting up verification centers in New Mexico's two largest cities. She said the money came from Motor Vehicle Division's budget.

Executives of MALDEF would not say which legislators are suing, but all are Democrats. Republican lawmakers solidly support Martinez on the verification program and her push to repeal the licensing law.

Legislators who are party to the lawsuit are to appear at a news conference this afternoon at the State Capitol.

Martinez lost her attempt last winter to repeal the law enabling illegal immigrants to receive driver's licenses. Republicans will try again in a special legislative session that starts Sept. 6.

Santa Fe Bureau Chief Milan Simonich can be reached at msimonich@tnmnp.com or 505-820-6898.

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I wish her the BEST OF LUCK

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The suit is being bought by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund

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Why in the world do we have groups like this in America? They are definitely NOT AMERICAN and do not have AMERICA at heart. They have themselves at heart ONLY and see what they can drain out of this nation.