Idaho, far from U.S.-Mexico border, wrestles with illegal immigration
Chad Groening - OneNewsNow - 3/4/2008 12:45:00 PM

Idaho Senator John McGee says his state's agricultural industry has unfortunately attracted a growing number of illegal immigrants into the state -- so the legislature has taken steps to curb the problem.

McGee recently sponsored a bill that was unanimously approved in the State Senate, with one member absent. The measure restricts eligibility for a valid driver's license to those who are legal residents of Idaho. The Republican lawmaker says while Idaho borders Canada, not Mexico, illegal aliens from south of the border are flocking to Idaho.

"Idaho is blessed to have a strong agriculture economy," says McGee. "And oftentimes we need agriculture workers here to help us with our crop." Often, he says, that attracts those who are not in America legally. "So Idaho does have a big problem -- and because of the lack of results at the federal level, states like Idaho are having to take things into their own hands."

The state senator shares that the citizens of Idaho recognize a "danger" in giving a driver's license to someone who is not in the U.S. legally. "The driver's license in the year 2008 is really a passport into society," he explains. "We use it to get on airplanes, we use it to show proof of your age -- and too often those who were not in this country legally were using that as a passport into our society." Consequently, he says, the people of Idaho said "enough is enough."

Last year McGee sponsored a bill that would force those who want to get state benefits to show proof they were in the country legally.

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