Spitzer: licenses for illegals
With the Soares report coming out, we almost forgot to mention the other big development today: Spitzer announces that NY will start giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Announced at a big NYC press conference with great praise and fanfare from various Dems and immigrant-rights groups, but brickbats from others. “This policy encourages people to flood New York State and wreck havoc on our social services, schools, and hospitals,” said U.S. Rep. Randy Kuhl, a NY Republican. (Full wire story after the jump).
Spitzer said the change will coincide with measures to actually increase the security of driver's licenses. Applicants will need a valid foreign passport. He said roads will be safer if illegals come out of the shadows, get insured, etc.
New York to allow illegal immigrants to get drivers’ licenses
NEW YORK (AP) — New York will allow illegal immigrants who have
a valid foreign passport to get a driver’s license, with a goal of
bringing “people out of the shadows” into American society, Gov.
Eliot Spitzer announced Friday.
“They no longer need to hide and pretend they are not here,”
said Spitzer. “We will not become part of what is propagated on
the federal level that if we don’t admit they are here then we can
somehow not provide services. That is bad policy.”
New York has between 500,000 to 1 million undocumented
immigrants, many of whom are driving without a license and car
insurance or with fake driver’s licenses, Spitzer said at a news
conference.
The shift in policy is geared toward enhanced security, safer
streets and a reduction in insurance premiums for all New York
drivers by an anticipated $120 million a year, said David Swarts,
New York’s Motor Vehicles Commissioner.
AAA found that unlicensed drivers are more than five times
likely to be involved in car accidents, Swarts noted.
The change drew the scorn of some Republican lawmakers from New
York. Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-N.Y., said the new policy “undermines the
preventive measures that protect our country from national security
threats. The September 11, 2001 hijackers had at least 35 licenses,
which helped them to rent cars and open bank accounts.”
“This policy encourages people to flood New York State and
wreck havoc on our social services, schools, and hospitals,” he
added.
Under the new policy, immigrants — regardless of their status —
will be permitted to provide a current, verifiable foreign passport
in applying for a license. The policy will be phased in over time
beginning in December 2007. Similar policies have been adopted in
Utah, New Mexico and other states.
Michael Balboni, New York’s homeland security head, said that
the new system actually improves security because it creates public
records that can be accessed by law enforcement and others to
ensure true identities.
“What we are driving towards is the crucial concept in
security: One person, one license,” Balboni said.
Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration
Coalition, called the new policy a victory for the immigrant
community.
She noted that immigrant New Yorkers who did not have access to
a license had a difficult time making it to work and getting their
children to school.
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Comments (28)
It should be difficult for them to get to work and take their children to school. THEY DON'T F---ING BELONG HERE!!!! There are here illegaly, hence they are CRIMINALS! Instead of giving them a license, how about when a cop pulls them over in their Toyota Corolla or Honda and finds they don't have a valid license or ID, HE ARRESTS THEM AND THE COURTS BEGIN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS!! That is the way it should be done.
What on earth is this Governor
doing?
No other country on this planet will issue a drivers
license with being a legal
resident, This and the crooked smiling Joe Bruno incident make me regret voting for this nut.What the heck are democrats up to?
We need a third party to vote for.
HA FREEKIN HA !! Ya'll desirve it! I was born and raised on LI. I moved to Florida in 1986 and returned in 2000 on family business. In the first 2 months I was there I became unfreekin- hindged about the messicoon's at the 7-11s. They were EVERYWHERE!! At one point while I was waiting for a cup of coffee I yelled IMIGRATION!!!! everyone produce ID. No kidding, wihtin 30 second the place emptied out. The 7-11 is at the LIE exit 64 about 1/4 north on the southbound side of the CR 83...
Keep electing Dum0rats and that is what you will get!
How's Billery Clintoon doing for ya'll??? Ha freekin Ha Serves ya'll right.. Bunky from Port Jeff.
Instead of dealing with the illegal immigration issue head on, this moron (Spitzer) wants to sell out our society for the votes instead, in other words if an illegal has a legal drivers license they can register to vote ...how about that?... spitzer is what he is, the purest political hack...
Are you kidding me? The money we'll save? How about the added trafffic and pollution on Long Island? How about the ware and tare on the roads MY TAXES are paying for. Instead of issuing them licences hou about we issue them plane tickets! My relatives came in the legal way through Ellis island (where documentation counted)!
I think Spitzer, like so many politicians, is more concerned with his potential to garner future votes than with what is good for the people he is supposed to serve. Other than a passport, what form of ID do citizens possess to establish thier entitlement to the privileges to which they are entitled, the most important of which is the right to vote? It seems that Spitzer is preparing for a time when there are no privileges reserved for citizens, when anyone and everyone who finds a way to cross the border has access to everything this country has to offer. Unless we exercise our sovereign right to regulate who enters, we will have nothing to offer anyone. Aside from the very real threat of entry by ones who seek to destroy us, we do not have unlimited resources, either natural or financial. We can not offer leagl residency to every person from every nation. That's not bigotry, just reality.
Let's keep the comments civil! I agree this is the worst idea, spitter has had! How can an ex prosecutor approve of anything that legitimizes illegal activity? Well he seems to be doing a lot of questionable things! I think it's time for impeachment!
if we're lucky, governor spitzer forgets to get screened for anal cancer or prostate cancer and DIES from this, then we won't have to worry about undocumented aliens having more rights than the taxpaying hardworking american, if they're undocumented? they don't belong here, send them home, where is the common sense govbernor spitzer, please DROP DEAD SOON, you are a walking garbage can with way too much power, GO AWAY? maybe, an undocumented alien will run over and kill your family and you'll feel very diddrently, you moron !!!
Let's see does the word's "illegal immigrants" mean anything to Gov.Spitzer.I am glad that I am not smoking what he is.It's seems to me that the American citizen is becoming or already has become the minority in our own State/Country.Let's just keep giving it away because before you know it we will be looking for somewhere else to live.Gov Spitzer and the rest of your bleeding heart liberals up there in Albany ,WAKE UP! and start working for the tax paying Americans ,the people that actually pay your salaries and put you in office.
Let's see does the word's "illegal immigrants" mean anything to Gov.Spitzer.I am glad that I am not smoking what he is.It's seems to me that the American citizen is becoming or already has become the minority in our own State/Country.Let's just keep giving it away because before you know it we will be looking for somewhere else to live.Gov Spitzer and the rest of your bleeding heart liberals up there in Albany ,WAKE UP! and start working for the tax paying Americans ,the people that actually pay your salaries and put you in office.
Didn't Reagan give em all amnesty? Didn't both parties go for NAFTA to give away jobs? Don't the rich folk love undercutting the unions by importing cheap help? ...Where have you crybabies been for 20 years?
Interesting logic. Drivers without licenses have more accidents. So, give them licenses and they will stop having accidents? Is somebody crazy?
As a licensed driver for many years I objected to the DMV suddenly refusing to renew my license without a social security number. Remember, I a US citizen, submitted a valid bith certificate to get the original license.
The last folks I want to have my social is DMV. Remember computers are stolen or hacked regularly.
I applaud Spitzer for stopping the social security requirment.
Gov. Spitzer has too much time on his hands if this is the best he can do for the people of New York who put him in office. He has escaped his first scandal and he then decides to give illegal aliens the right to drive. If he lived on the East End of Long Island and read the arrests reports in the local papers he would see they are arrested every weekend for drunk driving and other traffic violations. Good Job Gov
What other illegal things can Elliot stop enforcing. After 9/11 we found that if the hijackers had come to ny, they would not have gotten the id needed to do most of the thinge they were able to do. Now we find our "leaders" feel we should act"politically correct" according to their politics, instead of just acting correct.
In the articles I've read regarding Spitzer's absurd proposal, no one has asked the question regarding the proposed "drivers" qualifications to drive - will they be given written tests (in English) and have to pass a road test like the rest of us (citizens) had to?? Or will they get a pass on that also - just hand them a license because they're here? I am very tired of our rights being trampled because these people decided NOT to follow the rules and entire this country legally. Why should they be entitled to any rights? Mr. Spitzer and Mr. Silver apparently need a refresher course in what it means to be "law abiding."
naive,no DEM.yes!My God what a waste of my tax dollars on this issue.Poll the AMERICAN people,special election, if needed. DEM. Rep. Ind. in office can't or won't do it. Bet the ranch that the AMERICAN people ,Me Us, We the people, by vote will get done! How about giving we the people the chance now? Your not getting it done.Immigrantion issues can be resolved by doing whats right!! Want to see America,New York,turn out in numbers you would'nt beleive, but it to a vote by " WE THE PEOPLE " !!
Mr. Spitzer is out of his mind. Giving a Drivers License to someone who is here illegally is absurd. Especially after the tragic events that happened on 9/11. I wonder what his reasoning behind this is? Does he think he will secure a few extra voters in the near future since the Congress is constantly trying to revive the amnesty bill despite the fact that a majority of people are against this bill. Mr. Spitzer should be ashamed of himself. This is a slap in the face to every law abiding citizen of New York State. I hope the next election the voters remember this and deport Mr. Spitzer from office. Maybe then Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy will run for Governor and we will get a politician who actually cares about the taxpayers of this state.
yo people should really stop saying "my" this and "my" that, you bunch of racist bastards, i bet all of u use the word my, r white...anyways u do have a point that it looks like a bad idea, but atlease this guy is DOING SOMETHING about the problem that american society is facing rite now and not sit back and relax...
I don't think that this was the kind of change people were hoping for when they voted Democrat in the last election.
We should impeach Spitzer as he just slapped every legal immigrant across the face. They came here the proper way and now he is telling them "You should have waited!" Those who are here illegally don't care about our Country or our laws and they certainly don't want to become an American. If they did they wouldn't be illegal and they wouldn't be looking for a free hand out from Social Services. They would also learn to speak, read, and write the English language. Our Country was founded with the expectation that everyone would be reading, writing and speaking in English. Until now everyone who came here learned our language. This group of illegal immigrants are here looking to turn America into Mexico. If our current government is no longer requiring citizenship so that taxes can be collected or so that you can collect Social Security, then please do me a favor and stop taking the money out of my paycheck and refund me every penny that I have paid since I started working as a teenager in the 1970's. You should also open up all of the doors and release all of the prisoners from jail as we cannot expect citizens to obey the law when we are no longer enforcing it when it comes to illegal immigrants. The true Democratic dream - total chaos and nobody has to be accountable.
Say Good-bye to the Democrats....all of them have to go...if not we will have to go soon as they give the country away...
Spitzer is nuts. Even the quote from one of his bleeding heart liberal cronies is screwed up. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is quoted in the Newsday article as saying that he does not want to deny "law-abiding" immigrant New Yorkers licenses. Doesn't he realize that illegal immigrants, by definition, are NOT law abiding, since they are here ILLEGALLY. The team of Spitzer & Silver need to be reminded of this. At the end of the article, Pedro, an undocumented, (illegal) immigrant, says that "Having a driver's license is a necessity, not a luxury." The truth is that having proper immigration papers should be a necessity, but Spitzer and his goons in Albany are putting it more and more in the luxury column.
Gov Spitzser is pandering to his own political anbitions. as an emigrant perhaps I do not have to tell anyone who I'm realy are anymore. Ask me what mine S.S # is and by law I have to provide it but an illegal does not have to. WOW maybe I should go into Mexico and come in as an illegal. Perhaps I may have more rights than an American Citizen. Until election day till we get rid of you.
Well done governor! Immigrants nowdays deserve the same fair treatment that my grandparents did 30 years ago. The new law is fair and realistic.
If you disagree with Rene Herrera that it is "fair" to treat ILLEGALS like legals....Mad? Go to wgy.com. Under "on air" click on Al Roney. On the right hand side he has info on this--and a link to a forum that a listener started. They are talking about a rally in Albany on 10/22. If you are interested, join the discussion. If you can't make it, spread the word.
Well people say that this is supposed to be the best country on the planet and you people are trying to keep it all to yourselves. People come to this country to better themselves and their families and we're trying to stop them. You have to think of it from their point of view. Yes some are here illegally but we shouldn't look at them as criminals but as people who want a better life in the only country that can give it to them. Oh and by the way..in some form or another, we're all immigrants. The first people who inhabited this country were the Native Americans!!
If Spitzer plans to help illegal immigrants in this nation, he better have a very good reason or else we need to impeach him right now. I have been searching for a website that has already begun the impeachment process, but sadly I cannot find one. Even though I am not sure we need to impeach him, bringing him up on charges of illegal activity might be the best way to force him to better explain himself. If we lose our right to hear the decisions of our leaders in a proper manner, then we have lost our right to live in a democracy even if it is becoming more of a republic each day. Our founding fathers would be happy to see we are still supporting immigrants, but they would want us to be safe about it. Lets not take things for granted. I feel there is much information our government might be hiding away secretly, and we must work to expose their fraudulence. This is the time for change - lets take a note from the environment. If it is way out of control, we must work extra hard to restore order and protect our freedom. Lets work together everybody starting now. Won't You Join Together In the Band!!!