Thread: N.M.: Martinez faces tough road ahead for repeal of driver's

Martinez faces tough road ahead for repeal of driver's licenses

by Trip Jennings
November 11, 2010


Republican Gov.-elect Susana Martinez promised repeatedly during this year’s election to try to repeal a law allowing illegal immigrants to get New Mexico drivers licenses and to revoke thousands of already-issued documents. But interviews with state lawmakers this week make clear that undoing the law isn’t a sure thing when the New Mexico Legislature convenes in Santa Fe in January for one of the toughest sessions in recent memory.

For one, it’s unclear whether enough state lawmakers support the repeal effort to push it through both chambers in the Legislature, which Democrats still control despite losing eight seats in the House of Representatives during last week’s election.

Then there’s the potential for New Mexico’s budgetary problems to crowd out other large, controversial measures, some lawmakers said.

Fixing the state’s budget will dominate the legislative agenda as Martinez and state lawmakers learn to work together to close a $260-million gap in the 2012 budget after the state already has cut costs and raised revenue during previous legislative sessions.

On Tuesday a spokesman said Martinez remains committed to the goal in the upcoming 60-day legislative session.

“It was a top priority during the campaign and absolutely it is part of the agenda moving forward,â€

I don't guess the Democrats in New Mexico have figured out that in order to fix their budget they need to repeal the driver's license law for illegal aliens, and start arresting and moving these people out of their state and back to their home country where they belong, huh? Education, medication and incarceration costs for people who aren't even supposed to be in your state in the first place would disappear from your budget deficit, reducing it proportionally. Then the people who are supposed to be in your state would have more jobs at better wages and then they won't need MediCaid and unemployment checks, which will reduce your state deficits proportionally as well.

I'm sure someone will do their math homework and bring this to their attention in the debate on repealing the driver's license law that gives driver's licenses to illegal aliens.