CA: Immigrant ID bill tied to military spending

SFGate.com ^ | 3/16/05 | Edward Epstein

[NormsRevenge]

Washington -- The House Tuesday tacked on a provision to President Bush's emergency $81.3 billion war spending legislation that would make it all but illegal for California to issue driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.

By voice vote, the Republican-led House added the driver's license provision -- and the other immigration security measures it had approved as a separate bill in February -- to the spending legislation that will help pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The House is expected to approve the war spending bill today and send it to the Senate, where the immigration provisions create a potential clash with senators under pressure to pass the emergency measure quickly.

The House majority viewed the immigration provisions as national security issues, saying they were recommended by the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission, but not included in intelligence overhaul enacted last fall because of their controversial nature.

"The goal is straightforward,'' said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. "It seeks to prevent another terrorist attack.''

The immigration bill also would make it harder for asylum seekers to succeed in their claims and would waive environmental laws to allow completion of a 14-mile, three-tier fence along the San Diego-Tijuana border.

The legislation, named the Real ID Act and pushed by Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., would set standards for all driver's licenses in the country and would require the states to verify that applicants for licenses are U.S. citizens or live in the country legally. If states didn't comply after three years, their licenses couldn't be used for federal purposes, including boarding airplanes.

[NormsRevenge]

Immigrant rights and civil liberties organizations vigorously oppose the measure.

"I understand Mr. Sensenbrenner wants to force his way, but I hope there are saner minds that will prevail in the Senate,'' said Jeanne Butterfield, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

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I wouldn't get your hopes up if you're relying on that to happen, ,, re: saner minds prevailing in the Senate.. lol

[sheana]

The House Tuesday tacked on a provision to President Bush's emergency $81.3 billion war spending legislation that would make it all but illegal for California to issue driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.

The bill does NOT make it illegal to give drivers licenses to illegals. It says IF a state gives out drivers licenses without properly identifying the person and whether they are here legally, that the state's licenses cannot be used in a federal capacity, ie: boarding planes, entering federal facilities, etc.

[goldstategop]

Cool. Now let's see if the Senate still plays the Open Borders Lobby toady.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)