Thread: TN: New law, unintended result: taking legal immigrants off

New law, unintended result: taking legal immigrants off the road


Associated Press - December 15, 2007 10:55 PM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A new Tennessee law aimed at keeping illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses has left many legal immigrants suddenly unable to drive.

That includes some highly skilled workers from large international companies.

The law creates temporary driver's licenses that are issued only for the period an immigrant is legally authorized to be in the county. But they also cannot be issued for less than one year.

That has left immigrants with less than a year left on their visas unable to renew their expiring driver's licenses.

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Deb Woolley says problems getting driver's licenses are a big issue for companies like Bridgestone, Nissan and Denso.

Gov. Phil Bredesen has vowed to fix the law, but that won't happen without the Legislature. Lawmakers go into session in January, but it could be months before a new version of the law is enacted.

Meanwhile, the Safety Department has set up a committee to review problems on a case by case basis.

http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=7502914

They can get international drivers licenses in the meantime duh.

Tough! Take a cab or carpool til your visa expires and you go back home!

My question: How many of those with the licenses plan on overstaying their visas and will then be running around with valid licenses which can then be used to go to a state where illegals can get licenses, trade in the TN license for one from that state, and then be guaranteed access to a valid license for as long as the now-illegal alien is on the loose in our country?

Originally Posted by florgal

Tough! Take a cab or carpool til your visa expires and you go back home!

No one said they are going home. They said their visas were expiring.