Thread: New Mexico House approves bill to repeal immigrant driver's license

Bucking US trend, New Mexico House approves bill to repeal immigrant driver's license law

By VIK JOLLY Associated Press First Posted: February 12, 2015 - 11:22 pm Last Updated: February 12, 2015 - 11:44 pm

SANTA FE, New Mexico — The New Mexico House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would end the state's practice of giving driver's licenses to people suspected of being in the country illegally.

The GOP-led House passed the bill 39-29 after three hours of debate, with two Democrats siding with the Republicans in the majority. The measure would repeal the 2003 law that made New Mexico one of the first states to offer licenses to immigrants regardless of legal status.

The bill now moves to the Democrat-controlled Senate for a vote, and Democrats have vowed to fight the legislation.

The House voted to repeal the law on the same day that the Senate in neighboring Colorado took action in the partisan showdown over granting driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally. Republicans in Colorado, who also made big gains in the 2014 elections, passed a measure Thursday that blocks funds for the state agency that oversees licenses.

A growing number of states around the country have been granting driver's licenses in recent years to people in the country illegally. In addition, President Barack Obama's executive actions to allow immigrants to remain in the country have forced other states to allow people in his deferred-action program to get licenses.

Ten states now offer licenses to immigrants who are in the country illegally.

Proponents of New Mexico's bill argue that repealing the law would help prevent fraud and bring the state into compliance with federal identification requirements.

"This bill is attempting to secure New Mexico's driver's licenses and bring us into compliance with the (federal) Real ID Act," said Rep. Paul Pacheco, R-Albuquerque, whose repeal legislation garnered vigorous debate.

"In my heart I am trying to do the right thing," said the retired police officer. "I am not a malicious person. I am trying to solve a problem."

Those who want to keep the law the way it is argue it will hurt otherwise hard working families, and other states that have joined New Mexico in doling out licenses are not running afoul of federal ID laws.

Rep. Patricio Ruiloba, D-Albuquerque, a police officer with Albuquerque Public Schools, said the issue before the House was one of safety for the officer and the community. When an officer stops a motorist, it is important that the driver have an ID, which makes the traffic stop less dangerous for the officer, he said.

Retired police officer William "Bill" Rehm, R-Albuquerque, who has offered his own version of the repeal legislation, countered that he heard from state police organizations voicing support for the repeal.

House Minority Leader Brian Egolf offered a substitute bill that would allow New Mexico to issue two distinct licenses — one that would meet federal requirements and another that is not intended to be accepted by federal agencies. He said federal compliance was the key issue.

"We can do it today and stop the annual debate," Egolf said. His substitute was voted down.

Thursday's debate on the repeal bill was witnessed by about 250 children and parents, many of them wearing yellow shirts with lettering on the back that read, "Keep our parents licensed."

The bill would allow those who have proof that they qualified for Obama's deferred action program to get a license, but the license would expire when their status expires.

Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, asked lawmakers to consider how the repeal will impact "our kids, both undocumented and citizen kids alike."

"What are we going to do with the 90,000 children here who have at least one parent who is undocumented?" he said, adding that the proposal before the House "has tremendous unintended consequences for the people of New Mexico."

http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/vi...ivers-Licenses

"What are we going to do with the 90,000 children here who have at least one parent who is undocumented?" he said, adding that the proposal before the House "has tremendous unintended consequences for the people of New Mexico."

Sometimes there are 'unintended consequences' from breaking our immigration laws.

Originally Posted by Jean

Sometimes there are 'unintended consequences' from breaking our immigration laws.

Exactly.

And to answer his question, you deport the whole family, family intact.

"What are we going to do with the 90,000 children here who have at least one parent who is undocumented?" he said, adding that the proposal before the House "has tremendous unintended consequences for the people of New Mexico."

Sometimes there are 'unintended consequences' from breaking our immigration laws.

Originally Posted by Judy

Exactly.

And to answer his question, you deport the whole family, family intact.

The problem with that is:
Under current U.S. laws the children born here are U.S. citizens
and under current international laws no country can deport their own citizens.
If only one parent is illegal and the other is a citizen or legal resident you can't deport the legal parent.
I wish we could, but we can't.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

"What are we going to do with the 90,000 children here who have at least one parent who is undocumented?" he said, adding that the proposal before the House "has tremendous unintended consequences for the people of New Mexico."

Sometimes there are 'unintended consequences' from breaking our immigration laws.


The problem with that is:
Under current U.S. laws the children born here are U.S. citizens
and under current international laws no country can deport their own citizens.
If only one parent is illegal and the other is a citizen or legal resident you can't deport the legal parent.
I wish we could, but we can't.

The minor children are citizens of the nation of their parents, which means they are citizens of the nation of their illegal parents, and most certainly citizens of another country, so they can be deported and required to accompany their parent or parents when they are deported. Additionally, there is no federal law that establishes citizenship for children of illegal aliens. This is a practice of granting citizenship to children of illegal aliens, it is not law.

1. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on July 9, 1868, and granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” . . .
   
   
2. 14th Amendment to the US Constitution - Library of Congress
   
   www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/.../14thamendment.htmlLibrary of Congress
   
   
   
3. 
   

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

1. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on July 9, 1868, and granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” . . .
   
   
2. 14th Amendment to the US Constitution - Library of Congress
   
   www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/.../14thamendment.htmlLibrary of Congress
   
   
   
3. 
   

That does not apply to children of illegal aliens because they are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution presumes that the people having children in this country are authorized to be here. In fact there was a subsequent US Supreme Court Case where the government denied citizenship to a child of a Chinese immigrant, so there was never any intention of the 14th Amendment to grant citizenship to children of either immigrants or illegal aliens. The US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Kim Wong Ark, because his parents were immigrants at the time of this birth and ran a legitimate business, and were therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, a decision that does not in anyway apply to children of illegal aliens.

14th Amendment:Amendment XI
Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

So please do not concede to a law that does not exist, or an interpretation of the 14th Amendment wrongly drawn, or a practice with no foundation.

We want Steve King's bill passed that will clarify the issue with respect to the children of illegal aliens, but that does not in any way preclude the deportation of illegal aliens and their minor children who must by all natural rights and moral standards accompany them out of the country, families intact.

We can't even get the feds to deport illegal aliens and you think your going to get them to deport their anchor baby/citizen kids.
Good luck with that.
I sure wish we could.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

We can't even get the feds to deport illegal aliens and you think your going to get them to deport their anchor baby/citizen kids.
Good luck with that.
I sure wish we could.

I understand, however, holding the line means holding the fort as well, and we shouldn't concede that these children are actually citizens, when they really aren't. That's all I'm saying, and yes, I can't imagine a policy that would enforce the law against illegal parents and not remove the entire family intact at least including minor children, because that would violate all social, moral and natural norms.

We have to remember, none of us created this mess, yet we are the ones who paying the price for it. Our government in cahoots with the drug cartels and foreign governments has created this mess, but we have the burden of finding solutions which includes challenging all changeable actions of this despicable government.

Every anchor baby born in the U.S. to 1 or 2 illegal alien parents is given automatic U.S. citizenship at birth and you pretending that it isn't happening won't make it stop. Reality is tricky that way.

The U.S. government has already given out millions of green cards and social security cards to these anchor babies' parents, brothers and sisters . etc. and are in the process of giving out millions more.

We'll be lucky to prevent them from giving all of them citizenship too.