N.M. blocked from resuming immigrant license checks

NM blocked from resuming immigrant license checks

Posted at: 10/03/2012 9:27 PM
By: Barry Massey, Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Republican Gov. Susana Martinez's administration has agreed to settle a lawsuit and not revive a plan to cancel the driver's licenses of immigrants who fail to verify whether they still live in the state.

The administration announced the program last year but it was suspended by a state district court in Santa Fe after the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed a lawsuit.

District Judge Sarah Singleton on Wednesday issued an order permanently blocking the program and stopping the administration from canceling licenses of any immigrants initially checked unless the state has evidence of fraud.

At the time of the program, only New Mexico and Washington allowed illegal immigrants to obtain the same driver's license as a U.S. citizen.

NM blocked from resuming immigrant license checks | KOB.com

BAD move by Susana Martinez.

The driver license issue has been settled in some states, Texas, Virginia and Oregon among them, that have said they will allow driver's licenses for immigrants obtaining what the Obama administration calls "deferred action for childhood arrivals."
Arizona and Nebraska have pledged to deny driver's licenses to anyone who benefits from the federal relief.
http://www.alipac.us/f12/california-...n-wire-264611/

Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington do not require drivers to provide citizenship or legal documentation to obtain a drivers license.
http://www.alipac.us/f12/ca-rep-hunt...aliens-263551/

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio are planning to provide driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants who get work papers under a new federal policy.
http://www.alipac.us/f12/driver-lice...youths-263209/

Even in some states that have passed strong anti-illegal immigration laws, such as Georgia, driver's licenses may be available to undocumented immigrants who qualify under the new policy.
Under current Georgia law, people with deferred status can get a license, and that's what the state will do unless it gets different orders, said Susan Sports, spokeswoman for the state's Department of Driver Services.
http://www.alipac.us/f12/drivers-lic...debate-262893/