Licenses To Illegals

[concentric circles]

Heard State Senator Tom McClintock on the radio today and he said that he could not imagine even one Republican in either chamber voting for this bill. Because it would require a 2/3's majority to pass as "urgent" legislation, it would require approval by six Republicans to pass in the Assembly and two Republicans to pass the Senate. According to McClintock, it ain't gonna happen.

I like his analysis of the background check provision of the new bill. "A background check will determine whether an applicant is in the country legally. If they are here legally then they don't need this bill and if they are not here legally then federal law says they should be deported, in which case they also will not need this bill."

[Carry_Okie]

Hence, it's "referendum-proof".

I understood that, however, is it not still possible to use a referendum or initiative statute to repeal the law after the fact? Does the enactment of a law under emergency powers preclude the conduct of a referendum? Such would not be "referendum proof" but referendum "resistant."

It would be one hell of a black eye for the governor. P'raps another recall might make a worthy chaser. T'would also give real meaning to the elections for the Assembly!

[John Jorsett]

We all know that relatively few will rush down to apply

I don't know that. I work with the Border Patrol, and they were telling me that they saw a sharp spike in crossings after SB60 became law (and another after GWB declared his new scheme that none dare call amnesty). There were pro-illegal organizations teaching classes on how to apply. I think quite a few will apply. And when nothing happens to them, many of the rest will flood into the DMV soon after.

What we ought to do is to talk about how this is a trap that the INS is just waiting to spring on them once they have their addresses and thumbprints.

[So Cal Rocket]

I believe that an Urgent Bill can still be subject to the Referendum process, but the timing is such that the earliest that the Referendum could appear on the Ballot is March or November 2006. The law would have been in effect for over a year and millions of illegal driver's licenses issued by then.

[hedgetrimmer]

Bump

[Shermy]

I lived for two years overseas,and did not get a German drivers license.I got legal permission to drive in Germany, but it was a separate and distinct document.

Because an international driver's license doesn't allow commerical purposes. Delivery jobs, etc., all transportation jobs are on the dock now. It's a ruse to depress American citizen's and resident's wages. These jobs can't be outsourced, so illegals are insourced.

Truck driver's wages are just a cost...

[Equusphile]

Thanks for the clarification!

[calcowgirl]

My understanding is consistent with So Cal Rocket's post... it can be referended, but would take time for qualifying, signature gathering, election, etc. In the meantime, drivers licenses are issued... the damage is done.

[heleny]

Giving an illegal alien a license that then opens doors that previously were accessible to only citizens

Legal aliens (of both the resident and the nonresident types) in CA can already get CA drivers licenses and ID cards. No citizenship necessary -- just proof of legal residence or presence, proof of identity, and a SSN (or a letter from the SS office excusing you if you're not allowed to get a SSN, such as for foreign students).

Current law only prohibits illegal aliens from getting licenses.

[heleny]

What we ought to do is to talk about how this is a trap that the INS is just waiting to spring on them once they have their addresses and thumbprints.

I'm curious about the fingerprinting system beginning at the airports for foreign visitors (excluding Canadians and Mexicans): I heard it's only the two index fingers. The CA ID gets only one thumbprint, so these two databases, if they were ever connected, would not have matching fingerprint information.

[NormsRevenge]

Bump

[nickcarraway]

How soon does Osama get here?