Kerry: No Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

Yahoo ^ | 6/30/04 | Nedra Pickler - AP

[NormsRevenge]

PITTSBURGH - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites) said he opposes state laws that give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, a position that puts him at odds with the Hispanic activists he is courting in the presidential race.

Immigrant advocates have been pushing for the laws, saying they help undocumented workers get around safely. Licensed drivers know the rules of the road and can buy insurance, making streets safer for everyone, they say.

Shortly after Kerry told the National Council of La Raza on Tuesday that he would make immigration reform a top priority to ease the path to citizenship for working immigrants, he took a tougher stance on the issue of driver's licenses in an interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo.

"I think that driver's licenses are part of the legality of being here and if you've been here a period of time we may work something out as part of that immigration process, but I wouldn't give somebody who is automatically one year in here illegally all the rights and privileges of being here legally," Kerry said in the interview.

"I think that's wrong. That defeats the purposes of the law," he said.

Cecilia Munoz, vice president for policy at the National Council of La Raza, said Wednesday that Kerry's comments "somewhat undercut" his well-received speech before her organization.

"Let me take a deep breath here," Munoz said after hearing about Kerry's comments, then paused before continuing. "I guess what's frustrating is that Senator Kerry was just at our conference making terrific proposals that would benefit the immigrant community. ... This stand is going to be much less well received."

Munoz said driver's licenses have nothing to do with granting legal status or protecting against terrorism, as other opponents of the laws have suggested.

"This is one of those issues that affect people every day in their day to day lives," Munoz said.

Kerry spokesman David Wade said Wednesday that Kerry thinks it is a state responsibility to decide who gets a driver's license. Wade said Kerry would not support any federal efforts to stop states from giving them to illegal immigrants.

President Bush (news - web sites)'s re-election campaign did not return telephone calls about his position on the issue. Bush also is campaigning for the Hispanic vote, which went for Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites), 62 percent to 35 percent, in the 2000 race.

Bush's brother, Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, supported a bill to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. But the bill's sponsor abandoned the measure last April after law enforcement officials raised security concerns.

California was set to allow driver's licenses for illegal immigrants this year, until the legislation became an issue in the state's gubernatorial recall election. Despite protests from immigrant communities, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) signed a measure repealing the law shortly after taking office last November. But he currently is working with the sponsor of the original bill on another plan to grant driving privileges to illegal immigrants.

About a dozen other states allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses, according to the National Immigration Law Center.

Adam J. Segal, director of the Hispanic Voter Project at Johns Hopkins University, said while some community leaders may criticize Kerry's stance on driver's licenses, he wins points for advocating legalization for immigrant workers and other programs to support their families.

"I wouldn't expect Kerry's stance on this issue would strongly influence whether Latinos support him or President Bush in November," Segal said.

As part of his immigration plan, Kerry said he would offer a reform bill in his first 100 days to allow immigrants to earn legalization, encourage family reunification and strengthen border protections. Wade said Kerry wants to "fix the system as a whole rather than addressing issues piecemeal."

"Everyone who gets legal status of course should get driver's licenses," Wade said. "But there are safety and other concerns with giving driver's licenses to anybody and everybody without broader reform."

___

On the Net:

Kerry campaign: http://www.johnkerry.com

Bush-Cheney campaign: http://www.georgewbush.com

[gubamyster]

ping

[NormsRevenge]

He would "ease the path to citizenship for "working" immigrants". 8-?

Video image from a campaign ad for Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass. released Wednesday, June 30, 2004. Kerry paused his campaign advertising this week because of the July 4 holiday _ except in Albuquerque, N.M., where he started broadcasting the new TV commercial that emphasizes his various roles and mentions Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) and Bill Clinton (news - web sites). 'He's a husband and father. A pilot, a hunter, a hockey player. Tough prosecutor, advocate for kids,' the ad says. 'Nineteen years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.' The 30-second ad also describes him as 'a combat veteran who has been praised by former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under both Presidents Reagan and Clinton' and an 'author of a strategy to win the war on terror.' (AP Photo/Kerry 2004)

[NormsRevenge]

Is this a flip or a flop?

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., addresses the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Tuesday, June 29, 2004 in Phoenix.(AP Photo/Matt York)

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

The beginning of Kerry's attempt to "move right". Watch for further examples of moderation. He has nothing to lose--the Left is completely brainwashed into an anti-Bush frenzy--so now's the time to make his play for the middle.

[Howlin]

"Let me take a deep breath here," Munoz said after hearing about Kerry's comments, then paused before continuing. "I guess what's frustrating is that Senator Kerry was just at our conference making terrific proposals that would benefit the immigrant community. ... This stand is going to be much less well received."

Welcome to the party, pal.

[NormsRevenge]

Yup.. he should put some ice on it.

[mkj6080]

This stand is not such a big deal since Kerry is for a blanket amnesty for any illegals who can prove they have been in the country for at least 5 years. Once they are legal they can get their licenses.

[AM2000]

Giving employed illegals a path to legalization is a good idea if it is accompanied with aggressive moves to stem the introduction of new illegals into the country and the introduction of a temporary worker visa program to alleviate real labor shortages where and when they might exist.

But that won't happen. They'll keep coming in illegally, we'll keep letting them in illegally, and we'll legalize the ones who get away with it. No wonder so many immigrants think that is the American way.

[DumpsterDiver]

Shortly after Kerry told the National Council of La Raza on Tuesday that he would make immigration reform a top priority to ease the path to citizenship for working immigrants,

1. What's he gonna do with the non-working immigrants?

What's he gonna do about the working illegal aliens?

3, What's he gonna do about the non-working illegal aliens?

4. What you gonna do when I come for you?

[NormsRevenge]

Presumed Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites)(MA) addresses the annual Rainbow/PUSH convention in Chicago June 29, 2004. Kerry on Tuesday rejected any suggestion that he release records of his 1988 divorce, calling it old history that had nothing to do with anyone else. 'I have no intention of doing that at all,' Kerry said during a campaign stop in Phoenix, Arizona, when a reporter asked if he would release the papers from his divorce from his first wife Julia Thorn. Photo by Frank Polich/Reuters

[Shermy]

the Left is completely brainwashed into an anti-Bush frenzy--so now's the time to make his play for the middle.

Yep, and the Bush admin just lets fictional spin on issue after issue about Iraq and such gain traction. I guess they think, like with WMD, that when it's proved everyone will come back. But Kerry and Krew are honing talking points one after another in anticipation.

[ServesURight]

Yeah, Clinton promised us a middle-class tax cut once upon a time too.

[FITZ]

Giving employed illegals a path to legalization is a good idea

Yes. Certain illegals --- who have no unpaid hospital bills, never received or asked for a government handout of any kind, never used a stolen social security card or committed any other kind of felony document fraud, and so on might be a good bet ---- and in exchange for allowing them some legal status (only that kind), eliminate immigration of those who come for the handouts --- for example the many elderly being "sponsored" by relatives who never intended to pay for their costs.

[Sabertooth]

This stand is not such a big deal since Kerry is for a blanket amnesty for any illegals who can prove they have been in the country for at least 5 years. Once they are legal they can get their licenses.

No, Kerry isn't proposing blanket amnesty, not that it means much. No one is, and no one ever has. Reagan's Amnesty wasn't a blanket Amnesty either.

Any talk of blanket Amnesty in the Illegal Alien debate is a red herring.

Every politician who proposes an Amnesty, whether it's Kerry, Bush, McCain, Kolbe, Flake, Cannon, Cornyn -- you name 'em -- always has some Illegals that wouldn't qualify.

Kerry's Amnesty would be much worse than Bush's Amnesty. That's a fair statement.

[FITZ]

said while some community leaders may criticize Kerry's stance on driver's licenses, he wins points for advocating legalization for immigrant workers and other programs to support their families.

Programs to support their families???? Sounds like these hispanic activists and Kerry are nothing but a bunch of Communists/Socialists.

[freekitty]

Sure Kerry, we believe you. (sarcasm)

[LasVegasMac]

"Let me take a deep breath here," Munoz said after hearing about Kerry's comments, then paused before continuing. "I guess what's frustrating is that Senator Kerry was just at our conference making terrific proposals that would benefit the immigrant community. ... This stand is going to be much less well received."

Too funny.

Hey, pal, what? You actually think a 'Rat was looking after your best interests? You really think these 2 - faced a$$holes are sincere when they tell you something?

Tell me, how bad does that knife in back hurt ?? Get used to that feeeling. You are a peon to them, a mere pawn for their use.

LVM

[Lizavetta]

Licensed drivers know the rules of the road and can buy insurance, making streets safer for everyone, they say.

My prediction is 10 minutes after illegals get their drivers' licenses the liberals will introduce bills in Congress to provide low-cost auto insurance, courtesy of you and I, to help out all those new drivers.

[Shermy]

I see that Kerry has adopted the "Respected in the World" tagline. Smart, better than saying "foreign leaders" support him.

Of course the only reasons he's "respected" is because they theink they can squeeze more out of him, as in their interest. But this goes past most people I know and the Bush Admin's failure to counter Kerry's negative spin on such issues (for example, making him fess up what he would give Chirac) makes a fertile line of attack.