NM Gov. won't give up license law

Deming Headlight
March 25, 2011
By Milan Simonich, Santa Fe Bureau
SANTA FE, NM

Gov. Susana Martinez says she has lost only the very first round in her fight over illegal immigrants receiving New Mexico driver's licenses.

A bill to repeal the law cleared the House of Representatives this session only to die in the Senate.

Martinez says she will continue her fight to revoke the licensing law, which means she may has to reshape the Democrat-controlled Senate in the next election.

Legislators in 2003 approved the law that allows immigrants without authorization to be in America to receive New Mexico driver's licenses.

To qualify for a license, they must prove they live in New Mexico and provide identification documents, such as a birth certificate from their home country or, in the case of Mexican citizens, a Matricula Consular card.

Martinez said the licensing system severely weakens border and national security.

Giving illegal immigrants government-issued New Mexico licenses only enables them to move about the country and gain access to secure buildings, such as federal courthouses and power plants, Martinez said.

Marcela Diaz, executive director of the immigrant organization Somos Un Pueblo Unido, said Martinez's attacks on New Mexico's licensing law are being done purely for political gain.

"This is a wedge issue by a political party," Diaz said of Republicans.

She said New Mexico's law enables hard-working people to drive to their jobs so they can support their families and pay their taxes. It also gives police a more complete database of drivers, Diaz said.

Like the governor, Diaz expects the fight over driver's licenses to go on indefinitely.

"This issue will probably get played out over the next few years. We really have our work cut out for us," Diaz said.

Martinez currently cannot win her fight but she plans to get many more Republicans to vote in favor of this issue in the Senate.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 5&start=11