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Posted on 09/22/2004 7:37:17 PM PDT by Conservative Firster
A fourth attempt to let illegal immigrants apply for driver's licenses failed Wednesday as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made good on a vow to veto legislation that would have allowed up to 2 million immigrants to drive legally.
Supporters of the bill immediately promised to resume the battle next year and said the governor caved in to negative public sentiment instead of showing leadership.
Schwarzenegger, who promised to veto the bill after lawmakers passed it Aug. 27, said in a brief veto message that the bill did not address his security concerns.
The bill lacked a key provision he insisted upon for months, a special identifying mark on the licenses held by illegal immigrants. Supporters of the bill said such a mark would create a "scarlet letter" stigma.
The governor's veto added new weight to California's decade-old ban against licensing illegal immigrant adult drivers, most of them from Mexico. It also marked Schwarzenegger's second major decision on the issue, coming 10 months after he pushed lawmakers to repeal a similar law signed by Gov. Gray Davis shortly before his defeat in the October recall.
Schwarzenegger, who made the license law a central theme of his 2003 campaign against Davis, said there were concerns about establishing the identities of immigrants.
"One of the most important duties of the governor of a state is to protect its citizens," Schwarzenegger said in his message. "Determining the true identity and history of an individual is a key component of that protection."
Advocates of the bill claimed the governor's insistence on a special identifier was discriminatory and that Schwarzenegger broke promises to find a compromise.
"Considering that he gave his word that he would work with the Legislature on an acceptable bill, we are now back to square one," said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles.
Neighboring states allow illegal immigrants to obtain licenses, but supporters said the proposed bill would have been the strictest in the nation. The bill required criminal background checks, fingerprinting, adult sponsors and a $141 fee. Applicants would have also provided a federal taxpayer identification card or identification card from their consulates.
"The governor had an opportunity to exercise national leadership on the driver's license issue and move California forward," said Edward Headington, spokesman for the bill's prime backer, Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles. "He vetoed today the best driver's license bill in America, one that strengthens national security, one that strengthens public safety and holds immigrants to the highest-level standard anywhere in the nation."
The veto marked the newest turn in a sustained battle that reveals the state's rigid political divide over illegal immigration.
Supporters called the legislation a recognition of contributions by California's large illegal working class while opponents dismissed it as rewarding those who break the nation's immigration laws. Opponents also frequently suggested terrorists would use licenses to blend in.
Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, applauded the veto.
"This veto makes it harder for terrorists to obtain the primary document used for renting cars, boarding planes, and making other travel arrangements," McCarthy said.
Similar fears in Florida caused lawmakers last April to abandon a similar licensing bill backed by Gov. Jeb Bush.
Schwarzenegger's veto countered many mainstream supporters of the bill, including Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton and Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles as well as other police chiefs, religious organizations and newspaper editorial pages.
All argued that licensing illegal immigrants would make highways safer by making immigrants pass the state's driving test and requiring them to buy car insurance.
Headington suggested the veto would harm Schwarzenegger's standing with many of the state's minority communities.
For four straight years Cedillo has persuaded the Legislature to pass such bills. But he withdrew the 2001 version days after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, saw the 2002 version vetoed and the 2003 bill was repealed shortly after Davis signed it in his failed effort to save his job.
California allowed its large illegal immigrant population to apply for driver's licenses for decades before 1994. Lawmakers passed the ban in 1993 as anti-immigrant sentiment swept the state, culminating in 1994's passage of Proposition 187, which aimed to deny public services to illegal immigrants. That ballot measure was later overturned by the courts, but not the license issue.
Most of California's neighbors, including Utah, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, don't require license applicants to prove legal residency in the United States. Nationally, nearly 40 states have the requirement, according to the Los Angeles-based National Immigration Law Center.
Go Arnold!!!
but, but, he isn't conservative enough VOTE MCLINTOCK!
It should be vetoed even with a "security" measure - but this is a good start.
It's a start, he needs to veto a whole bunch more stuff as well.
Go Arnold.
Good job, Arnold....good job. Now, keep that veto pen handy!!!!
Bill Bratton needs to go back to New York. He's worthless.
Hey Schwarzenegger. Screw the ID mark. For cripes sakes, these people are in our country illegally. Why would you or any politician even consider pandering to them?
Well, if they're ILLEGAL immigrants....then they're ALREADY CRIMINALS. No need to go any further.
You just can't bring yourself to give Arnold any credit, can you.
He VETOED the bill!
Some on the right need your translation too. ;)
Is there any reliable email address to which we can send an "atta-boy" to Gov Schwarzenegger... one they might actually read? Those of us in the other parts of the country appreciate the prevention of illegals being able to board airplanes, etc by virtue of having a drivers license. I suppose I could go surf thru the CA gov sites, but I'm looking for a shortcut here. ;)
We didn't go to the trouble of kicking Gray Davis out for nothing.
Didn't he just sign AB50? That was real, and against the law abiding citizens in Cal.
E-mail Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of CA:
http://www.govmail.ca.gov/
and you can also check out Gov. Arnold's page:
http://www.governor.ca.gov/state/govsite/gov_homepage.jsp?a%3da&BV_SessionID=@@@@1826161028.1095908258@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccgadcmikdieiecfngcfkmdffidfog.0
Er, *not* providing.....
"Credit for what? Providing drivers licenses to people that are in our country illegally? He deserves credit for this? "
HELLOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Which part of "HE VETOED THE BILL" don't you understand?
Keep trying Arnold hopefully your detractors will be happy someday. . .
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