Martinez seeks public help on immigrant licenses


By: BARRY MASSEY 02/11/11 7:49 PM
Associated Press

Republican Gov. Susana Martinez moved Friday to try to increase pressure on the Democratic-controlled Legislature to scrap a law allowing illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

Martinez urged New Mexicans to call lawmakers and demand an end to the state's license law for immigrants. The governor contended it's a security risk to give driver's licenses to those living illegally in the country.

"Why I encourage people to call their legislators is because we have to make sure that the legislators are doing the people's business," Martinez said at a news conference.

The governor's comments came a day after a House committee — on a party-line vote — shelved what a GOP lawmaker contended was a compromise to revoke licenses for illegal immigrants but allow them to have annually renewable driving permits, which would not serve as a form of identification. Democrats on the committee supported the effort to bottle up the bill, dooming it for the session.

Martinez did not support the bill. Instead she wants legislation that would stop the licensing practice and cancel the more than 80,000 licenses given so far to foreign nationals. The state contends it doesn't know how many of the licenses have gone to illegal immigrants because it does not ask the immigration status of license applicants.

Rep. Andy Nunez, a Hatch independent, said he's optimistic his bill to stop licenses for illegal immigrants can clear two committees and reach the House floor. Sen. John Ryan, R-Albuquerque, is sponsoring a similar bill backed by the governor.

Elsa Lopez of Santa Fe-based Somos Un Pueblo Unido, an immigrant rights group, said the state's license law has helped improve public safety by lessening fear among immigrants to report crimes to police. She also said the state has ample safeguards for verifying the identification provided by immigrants to obtain a driver's license.

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