Thread: Bloomberg might sue Spitzer

Mayor Says City Might Block Use Of Special Driver's Licenses
November 06, 2007

The mayor could deal a potentially serious blow to Governor Eliot Spitzer's controversial plan to offer driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg already has been publicly skeptical of the plan and now he says his administration might not accept the special license as identification for city services.

Identification like a driver’s licenses is now needed for things like getting a marriage license and getting assistance with a heating bill. Without one, an arrest for a simple offense could mean a night in jail, instead of getting released with just a ticket.

A mayoral spokesman says the city is still reviewing whether the licenses would be "sufficient identification for city government functions, such as applying for welfare or a homeless shelter."

Bloomberg is concerned the foreign documents needed to get a license could be forged, and he worries it all could lead to more illegal gun buys.

Some local politicians think Bloomberg should take a tough line against the governor’s policy.

"There's a lot of people who want to come to this country from countries such as Mexico, Korea, China and everywhere in between who want to come here legally,â€

Mayor Says City Might Block Use Of Special Driver’s Licenses

The mayor could deal a potentially serious blow to Governor Eliot Spitzer’s controversial plan to offer driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg already has been publicly skeptical of the plan and now he says his administration might not accept the special license as identification for city services.

Identification like a driver’s licenses is now needed for things like getting a marriage license and getting assistance with a heating bill. Without one, an arrest for a simple offense could mean a night in jail, instead of getting released with just a ticket.

A mayoral spokesman says the city is still reviewing whether the licenses would be “sufficient identification for city government functions, such as applying for welfare or a homeless shelter.â€