Posted on 12/10/2004 9:34:01 AM PST by NormsRevenge
At least some of the Sept. 11 terrorists, all Arabs, obtained illegal driver's licenses and used them to board airliners on that horrific day. Which is why the issue of granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants is a matter of pressing national security concern.
Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, has led a long-running campaign to enact a bill allowing illegal immigrants to obtain California driver's licenses freely. His efforts run counter to post 9-11 initiatives at the federal, state and local levels to strengthen homeland security against terrorist infiltration.
The sweeping intelligence overhaul passed by Congress this week recognizes the link between driver's licenses and the war on terror.
The truth is, a driver's license is America's national identity card. It is used for everything from cashing checks to entering security-restricted buildings. The ID card is proof that the holder is who he says he is, which is why airline agents ask to see your driver's license before you board a plane.
Under the new federal legislation, the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Department of Transportation, is directed to develop uniform national criteria for issuing driver's licenses. The measure calls for the implementation of "standards for the verifiability of documents used to obtain a driver's license."
But Sen. Cedillo is unfazed. He believes California should adopt its own standards for granting driver's licenses. (An earlier version of Cedillo's legislation, which he got signed into law by Gov. Gray Davis, contained virtually no criteria for determining whether an illegal immigrant had a criminal history or terrorist intent. At the urging of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, that highly unpopular statute was promptly repealed by the Legislature.) Cedillo recently reintroduced his revised measure, which would extend licenses to an estimated 2 million illegals in California, and called on Schwarzenegger to negotiate a deal.
But the governor sensibly cited the new intelligence bill and declared that the question of driver's licenses for undocumented Californians should be put off until the new federal guidelines are developed. That is expected to take up to 18 months.
In the meantime, the House is likely to consider more stringent legislation sought by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Sensenbrenner voted against the intelligence bill because he believed it did not go far enough in setting standards for driver's licenses and other documents used to board planes. Consequently, a bipartisan drive is under way to craft a follow-up bill restricting illegal immigrants' access to driver's licenses.
Apart from national security concerns, there are other reasons why illegal immigrants should not be given driver's licenses. One is a simple matter of fairness. Extending the privilege to undocumented residents would reward them for their illegal conduct. What's more, it would severely undermine enforcement of America's immigration laws. Gov. Schwarzenegger should stand firm against Sen. Cedillo's ill-advised attempts to legitimize illegal immigration.
ping
No license for illegal aliens under any circumstances.
Index
How many times does one-bill Gil need to be told NO,NO, OH HE** NO!
No license for illegal aliens under any circumstances.
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Yep , that would ease the restrictions. We wouldnt need ANY. You are NOT legal, so you CAN'T have a license.
NEXT!!
Everyone should send this article to those in Congress and their Governor's chair, and also to the deaf man who is in the White House. I sent it, along with my comments for them to wake up.
"No license for illegal aliens under any circumstances."
I disagree, but in a Machiavellian way. I support illegal aliens having drivers licenses with VALID residence addresses. If everyone supported this measure, so illegals could be picked up and deported, it would close this abomination down pronto.
If illegal aliens don't have to give valid addresses on their licenses, do I have to?
They'll keep coming back, like Jason Voorhees, until you swallow their beneficent plan for your future.
Even if they have to choke you with it.
bump
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