Thread: Cutler on Washington Times: ‘GOP split on repeal of Real I

Cutler on Washington Times: ‘GOP split on repeal of Real ID’
By Mike Cutler

The article I have attached below that appears in today’s edition of the Washington Times is significant for a number of reasons.

First of all, the article points out that at long last, Governor Spitzer of New York State has finally abandoned his plan to provide illegal aliens with driver’s licenses. As you may know, I have testified before the New York State Senate and before an unofficial hearing convened by members of the New York State Assembly that I was adamantly opposed to any effort to provide illegal aliens with driver’s licenses. I have attached copies of my testimony for two New York State Senate hearings to which I was requested to testify to this commentary. Like it or not, driver’s licenses are indeed the de facto national identity document that is most often used when individuals need to provide positive proof of their identities. We are routinely asked to produce our driver’s licenses or non-motorist identity documents when we make purchases with personal checks or even wish credit cards when the purchase it of significance. Driver’s licenses are often required when we open bank accounts or even can be used as a form of identification to meet the requirements of filling out a Form I-9 that is required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act that was intended to help employers to avoid hiring illegal aliens. Driver’s licenses are also used to provide proof of identity in some states when an individual seeks to purchase firearms.

The 9/11 Commission did, indeed, note that the terrorists who attacked our nation used many false identities (364 in the aggregate) and in a number of instances, supported these false identities by using driver’s licenses.

I have made the point that when an individual can legally drive a car, he or she is essentially assured that if stopped by a police officer, the licensed driver is unlikely to be arrested for committing a relatively minor infraction of Vehicle and Traffic Law. This is because a summons issued by a police officer for speeding, running a red light or a stop sign or other such infraction of law is actually a courtesy as police officer friends have often noted when we discuss local law enforcement. Before you misunderstand what I am saying, you need to realize that when a driver is pulled over for violating motor vehicle laws, the police officer making the stop has the authority to arrest the driver who committed the infraction. In such traffic stops, the police officer is not unlike a judge who must determine risk of flight in deciding what to do with a defendant in a criminal case. When a motorist is unable to provide a driver’s license to the police officer, it is not unreasonable for that cop to presume that the likelihood that the motorist will show up for a motor vehicle hearing is somewhere between slim and none and will feel compelled to take that driver into custody. On the other hand, a driver who is properly licensed will most likely be viewed as being much more likely to show up for his (her) date in traffic court, thereby making it much more likely that the police officer will simply issue a summons.

This ability to move freely about our country with little fear of being apprehended is a highly valuable asset for illegal aliens and one that would make it more likely that terrorists and criminals would be able to drive cars and other vehicles throughout our country to provide themselves with mobility and the ability to prepare to carry out a terrorist attack or engage in other areas of criminality.

As for illegal aliens whose only objective is to seek unauthorized employment in the United States, I would suggest that you understand that as many of the open borders advocacy groups contend, it would be difficult and costly to have law enforcement seek to arrest and deport the estimated 20 million illegal aliens who are present in the United States. A far more effective strategy is to deny those aliens who are illegally present in the United States with the ability to function “normally.â€

I generally agree with Congressman Sensenbrenner, but this is the epitome of circular logic:

[quote]"If there’s a national policy then a driver’s license becomes a national ID card,â€

Excellent analysis, Shapka.