Thread: UTAH: Some fear license law leads to profiling

Some fear license law leads to profiling
Drivers » But backers say it merely conforms to federal mandates.

By Sheena Mcfarland

The Salt Lake Tribune
Posted: 04/03/2009 06:19:01 PM MDT

A new law that may flag undocumented immigrants has supporters calling it the strongest anti-illegal immigration legislation passed to date while many in the Latino community worry it could lead to increased racial profiling.

Starting next Jan. 1, SB40 will align Utah's driver license with upcoming federal REAL ID requirements by creating a new license for those in the state with a valid student, work or other visa. That means that those who present a driving privilege card to an employer or law enforcement officer would be identifying themselves as in the state illegally, said Ron Mortensen of the Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration.

"If we get the word out, it becomes a very clear indicator someone is here illegally," Mortensen said. "It will be interesting to see if illegals stop getting driving privilege cards because of how clear an indicator it is now."

Sgt. Jeff Nigbur, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, which oversees the creation of driver licenses, said the designs for the new licenses for those with valid visas are still in conceptual stages.

"It likely will look similar to a license or privilege card," Nigbur said. "The biggest point of this particular license is that the federal government will accept it. That's the whole point of it, but it comes with those concerns of racial profiling."

Decreasing the use of driving privilege cards was not the intent of the legislation, said the sponsor, Sen. Curt Bramble,
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who also sponsored the 2005 legislation creating the cards. He simply wanted to bring Utah into compliance with federal requirements which take effect Jan. 1, 2010.

The Provo Republican says the majority of his constituents want undocumented immigrants to continue to get driving privilege cards because it means they have to pass driving proficiency tests, carry current insurance and creates a database of people here in the state.

He doesn't see his bill singling out any one group because the "overwhelming majority" of the state's 40,000 driving privilege cards currently go to undocumented immigrants.

"From Ron's point of view, I can understand why he would make that declaration, but from a practical point of view, not much will change out in the public arena," Bramble said.

But that hasn't eased concern of many in the Latino community.

In St. George, many community members question whether the new law will affect their ability to get a driving privilege card or make them subject to increased racial profiling.

"Most people would rather see people who are here with their driver license because they want all drivers to follow the laws as far as insurance," said Manny Aguilar, a Latino community activist in Washington County. "If they don't have a valid driver license, they have no insurance."

Along the Wasatch Front, SB40 has been one of the most asked-about pieces of legislation, said Latino community activist Tony Yapias.

"Separating everyone else based on citizenship and legal status, there's no question that we're very concerned about racial profiling," Yapias said. "The best chance to fight that would be if immigration reform happens this year on the federal level."

smcfarland@sltrib.com
SB40

The law aligns the state with the federal REAL ID Act. It takes effect next January, and requires Utahns to provide proof of citizenship to obtain a driver license. It also creates a new card for those in the state on temporary work, student or other visas. The law keeps driving privilege cards for others.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12067096?source=rss

That means that those who present a driving privilege card to an employer or law enforcement officer would be identifying themselves as in the state illegally, said Ron Mortensen of the Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration.

"If we get the word out, it becomes a very clear indicator someone is here illegally," Mortensen said. "It will be interesting to see if illegals stop getting driving privilege cards because of how clear an indicator it is now."

If that means an automatic call to ICE, detention and deportation OK. If not, forget it NO licenses, NO amnesty, NO nada for illegal aliens.

Along the Wasatch Front, SB40 has been one of the most asked-about pieces of legislation, said Latino community activist Tony Yapias.

"Separating everyone else based on citizenship and legal status, there's no question that we're very concerned about racial profiling," Yapias said. "The best chance to fight that would be if immigration reform happens this year on the federal level."

Wow, what an idiot! People are not denied "legal status" based on race, moron. If that were so, then everyone in the US would be the same race, no? We want illegal aliens OUTTA HERE!