Thread: Republicans rally against Spitzer's latest driver's license

Republicans rally against Spitzer's latest driver's license plan
By MICHAEL GORMLEY

Associated Press Writer

5:10 PM EDT, October 31, 2007

ALBANY, N.Y.

Senate Republicans promised Wednesday to delay or derail Gov. Eliot Spitzer's new plan to make it easier to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the Assembly's minority said they will file a lawsuit Thursday to stop Spitzer's "illegal plan," which was announced Saturday. Assembly Republican leader James Tedisco of Schenectady said it would "make our state and nation a less secure, less safe place."

While the GOP-led Senate said it will continue trying to block the license program through legislation, and may deny funds in the 2008-09 budget, the Democrat-led Assembly has no plans to oppose the Democratic governor's plan.

Republican senators had just as many objections to the new plan for three levels of licensing as they did to a single-license plan announced in September, but their latest arguments focused on national security.

"I don't like options when it comes to security of the state and of this nation," said Sen. Martin Golden, a Brooklyn Republican. "We're not talking about immigrants. Immigrants built this nation and continue to build this nation. We are talking about illegal aliens ... nobody is going to take the terrorist aspect of this lightly."

"Senator, I don't want you to put words in my mouth," said state motor vehicles Commissioner David Swarts after three hours of questioning. "I am as concerned about the security of this nation as you are ... we are going to make it better."

The issue was also part of Tuesday night's presidential debate. Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said giving licenses to illegal immigrants "makes a lot of sense," but she made it clear she wasn't endorsing the idea. Instead, she said immigration is a federal problem Washington has failed to fix.

State Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello pounced on that Wednesday: "Is Hillary Clinton's response indicative of an inability to make clear decisions on vital issues? And, is she is capable of decisively functioning, during an era of great international turmoil, at the President's desk where the buck stops?"

"I think what you saw across the board was an agreement that the issue we're facing, we're facing because of a failed federal policy," Spitzer said in response to Clinton's comment. "The consequence of that is that I as a governor, I have a very real issue I have to confront."

The new license plan worked out with federal homeland security officials will offer three types of driver's licenses in 2008, based on New Yorkers' needs. It will also create what the federal officials said will be one of the most secure licenses in the country. New anti-fraud scanners will detect bogus documents and verify foreign passports, Swarts said.

"We will have three separate and secure licenses all used for different purposes _ one to cross the New York-Canadian border, one to fly on planes domestically and one for driving and identity purposes," Swarts said at the second Senate hearing on the issue. Without it, federal regulations would soon require New Yorkers to get passports, costing about $100, to board planes and enter federal buildings.

"This is what the federal government has mandated," Swarts said. "New York's current license will eventually serve both undocumented immigrants and lawful residents."

In Wednesday's debate, GOP senators criticized the department's plan to withhold data on suspected illegal immigrants from police and federal officials without a court order.

Swarts said the department arrested 900 people last year for trying to use fraudulent records. He said 500 have been arrested so far in the Spitzer administration's first year and arrests are made if a document is immediately determined to be fraudulent. If there is a question _ such as if the passport or other document is torn _ it is confiscated and evaluated, with the applicant allowed to leave until there is a decision to prosecute.

Applicants trying to get a license without traditional documents or a foreign passport will be turned away. They will not be reported to DMV investigators, federal agencies that have replaced the Immigrant and Naturalization Service, or police, Swarts said.

"You don't feel an obligation, sir?" said Sen. Thomas Libous, a Broome County Republican.

"I'm not an INS officer," Swarts said.

www.amny.com

[quote]I'm not an INS officer," Swarts said. [quote]

What gall from a public official to take that attitude towards the laws of this nation.