Thread: Spitzer Poised To Ease Access To Licenses

http://www.nysun.com/article/46973

By JACOB GERSHMAN
Staff Reporter of the Sun
January 19, 2007

ALBANY — The national security debate over giving illegal immigrants driver's licenses is heating up in New York, as Governor Spitzer considers throwing out a Pataki-era policy requiring applicants to submit valid Social Security numbers.

During last year's gubernatorial campaign, Mr. Spitzer said he would permit illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, arguing that banning them from driving worsened the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers without improving security. Mr. Spitzer's position came under fire from his Republican opponent, John Faso, but the governor has said little about the issue since.

Now, one New York group, the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License, says the governor is poised to repeal Governor Pataki's order and is urging the governor to reconsider changing a policy that it says is helping to thwart terrorist attacks.

"The 9/11 Commission pointed out that the 19 terrorists had at least 35 licenses," a board member of the coalition who lost his 23-year-old son in the World Trade Center attack, Peter Gadiel, said. "These licenses were the keys that enabled them to rent cars and open bank accounts, get credits cards, and buy flight lessons. It gave them everything they needed to plan, rehearse, and carry out their attacks."

Mr. Gadiel, a Republican who has also advocated for stricter border laws, said it was "insane" that the governor is considering extending licenses to illegal immigrants.

The group's protest has prompted at least one state lawmaker, a Republican senator of Brooklyn, to vow to introduce legislation that would undo any changes made by Mr. Spitzer to the existing license application policy, raising the possibility of a broader legislative debate. "I hate to be the next guy who didn't sign onto the legislation," the lawmaker, Martin Golden, said, "and, God forbid, terrorists strike again and there are 30,000 people dead. I'm not trying to be alarmist. I'm trying to be realistic." In October, the Spitzer campaign came out firmly in favor of allowing illegal immigrants to get licenses. "The facts show that restricting immigrants' access to drivers' licenses does nothing to improve security," a spokeswoman for Mr. Spitzer, Christine Anderson, told the Associated Press. "All it does is drive immigrants into the shadows, creating a class of people with no public records."

Originally Posted by Shapka

...a spokeswoman for Mr. Spitzer, Christine Anderson, told the Associated Press. "All it does is drive immigrants into the shadows, creating a class of people with no public records."

?

Originally Posted by millere

Originally Posted by Shapka

...a spokeswoman for Mr. Spitzer, Christine Anderson, told the Associated Press. "All it does is drive immigrants into the shadows, creating a class of people with no public records."

?

Evidently having forged and/or stolen identification is better.

Go figure.

Geez, Shapka....this guy is nuts !! I feel sorry for you guys !!


BTW, our new governor here in Florida, Charlie Crist (R) seems like he might be a little better than I originally thought. So far he seems pretty reasonable.....but jeesh....this Spitzer guy in NY.......eeek. Good Luck.

And of all places.....New York.....where the terrorists hit.

It boggles the mind.