Posted on 06/14/2005 5:28:47 PM PDT by Founding Father
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - If it's about time to renew your driver's license, be warned: everyone in Missouri will need to show proof he or she is legally in the country to get a license.
Under a state law passed last year, everyone obtaining or renewing a driver's license, nondriver's license or permit starting July 1 must provide proof of their "lawful presence" in the United States.
For U.S. citizens, the Department of Revenue will require a birth certificate or valid passport, or a certificate of citizenship or naturalization.
However, if a person got married, for example, and has a different last name, a copy of other paperwork explaining the change, such as a marriage license, must accompany the birth certificate.
Non-U.S. citizens must provide documents to prove they belong in the country. Details on which documents will be required, such as a valid foreign passport or visa paperwork, are still being hammered out, but will be determined by July 1, the agency said.
Another part of the law stipulates that licenses for non-citizens must expire when their legal presence in the country ends.
"There's stories throughout the Web of cases where these terrorists have legal identification from somewhere," Sen. Jon Dolan, R-Lake St. Louis, who handled the legislation last year, said Tuesday.
But Dolan expressed concern that U.S. citizens can't satisfy the requirement with something simpler, such as a Social Security card.
"They better implement this effectively and conveniently," he said. The intent is "not to bother Granny who's an 84-year-old citizen. It is to bother a basic illegal immigrant and possible terrorist in some cases."
Agency spokeswoman Maura Browning said U.S. citizens only must provide that extra paperwork once, and after that the state's system will note they showed proof they are legally in the country, making future renewals simpler - a point that somewhat eased Dolan's concerns.
A new federal law also steps up requirements nationwide for obtaining and renewing driver's licenses.
The law is aimed at stopping illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses to prevent them from boarding planes or entering protected federal buildings. States have three years to meet the new standards that include verifying applicants are American citizens or legal residents.
Immigrants' rights groups have criticized the federal law, saying it will do nothing to make the country safer but shows increasing hostility toward people from other countries.
Agency spokeswoman Maura Browning said that with the state law's effective date looming, the agency hasn't thoroughly reviewed the federal law to see if changes should be made in Missouri.
Yeah, SS was my main problem too, I had lost the card, and they wanted to see it along with my birth certificate and passport. I had to go to the SS office and get a duplicate first, then go back to the DMV. Interestingly, they transfered the title to my cars right away. I only found out later that the verification was very important when I went to vote.
In California they had motorvoter registration at the DMV but in Alabama registration for voting meant much more because of the citizenship verification that proceeded it. The other states need to do this catch up, Its important now with elections so close to know the votes cast are from people legally here.
Without being able to get my DL I was also unable to register to vote in VA.........we caused me to miss voting in the 2003 primary.
The funny thing was that when I went to the SS office, the woman was extremely familiar with the DMV situation and gave me a printout to take to DMV as proof I was who I said I was and that a new card would be issued.
What had me laughing was she didn't ask me for photo ID and when I asked her she specifically stated that not many people seeking a fake ID would be carrying around a 7 year old original marriage certificate that matched the original SS card being presented. That and the fact I offered her my ID before being asked :)
Go figger.
LOL!
We need more "show me" states.
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