Posted on 09/22/2007 11:22:45 AM PDT by jonyyeh
(CBS) NEW YORK They were celebrating outside the governor's office Friday as Eliot Spitzer handed a landmark victory to a half-million illegal immigrants.
The state will no longer require proof of citizenship for driver's licenses.
"We're changing our policy with respect to getting more people out of shadows and into the system so people don't hide they're here," Spitzer said.
He said the current restrictions on non-citizens have filled the roads with unlicensed drivers five times more likely to get into accidents.
But the also called it a matter of justice.
"As long as I'm governor we won't pretend they don't exist, cut them off from society," Spitzer said.
But the action triggered a bitter response from some 9/11 family members, who said the governor would be providing identification for potential terrorists.
And a Brooklyn state senator says he'll try to overturn the decision.
"This governor has chosen to give the keys to the city, the keys to the state to terrorism," Golden said.
As for the public, it's clear that people have strong feelings on both sides of the issue.
"I don’t think if you're here illegally you should have the same privileges people who are here legally do," office manager Cliff Hoffman said.
Added legal word processor Bill Slater: "I think illegal people are getting a free ride. I don't think it's fair to other hard-working citizens who do work hard."
Planning consultant John Madden said the move is also a pre-emptive strike against another type of potentially hazardous driver.
"The problem is they're gonna drive anyway," Madden said. "You might as well make them legal drivers with insurance."
The new rules will start to kick in at the end of the year, unless someone finds a way to put a halt to them.
Under the new policy, the Department of Motor Vehicles will accept foreign passports and birth certificates from immigrants as proof of identification. They will no longer need to provide a Social Security card.
More like getting people out of the shadows and out to the voting booths.
I kind of miss Pataki as Governor. Sure, he was a liberal Republican, but at least he was not as crazy as Spitzer.
I am glad not to live in New York anymore.
Unfortunately, it will be hard to impeach him. The Republican barely control the State Senate. The Democrats control the Assembly. Besides, both parties are somewhat crazy up in Albany. That is a bipartisan trait.
“The problem is they’re gonna drive anyway,” Madden said. “You might as well make them legal drivers with insurance.””
Oh, please. Like they buy insurance. Give me a break.
i’ll bet its a 100% harder for a red blooded american teenager to get a license than it is for these illegals. now how is that justice?
That’s a lot of Democrat voters made by something as simple as a stroke of the Governor’s pen, and a lot more will be headed that way as fast as they can get there.
NY State is going to get a FLOOD of illegal aliens.
NY State is going to get a FLOOD of illegal alien voters.
What about voting.
This was hot on talk radio in the New York area this morning. Every caller was steamed. One caller suggested that they be a different color so they can't vote. Another caller was concerned that one official document leads to another - like a pilot's license. One caller was most concerned about auto insurance, or the lack of. The folks up there aren't pleased. I believe I heard that this will have trouble passing the NY Senate.
My question - every one of the half-million illegals have passports? Not likely...
Aside from the fact that most Mexican illegals are semi-literates in their own language and can’t even understand visual or written driving instructions in their own language, and have little or no experience driving on American roads, a driver’s license is the key form of identification which unlocks the door to many other types of ‘valid’ identification.
Several months ago National Review magazine named Spitzer one of the most dangerous and implacable liberals in America. Now that he is allowing (for purely partisan political reasons) ILLEGAL aliens to jeopardize the lives of American citizens on our highways, it’s clear that they were right. Is there NOTHING that such politicians won’t do? Have they no sense of common decency or respect for human life?
Glad to hear that news of the opposition in NYC, I hope it gets louder and talk radio stays on it. This doesn't have to pass the state Senate though, Spitzer's doing it by executive order. Or were you referring to them having trouble overturning it? What they need to do now is pass REAL ID legislation, which will stop the stupidity in its tracks.
Spitzer has just proven them right hasn't he?
QUISLING: a synonym for traitor, someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.
Current federal law 8USC 1373(a) PROHIBITS SANCTUARY CITIES. It reads as follows:
"Notwithstanding any other provision of federal, state, or local law, a federal, state, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual."
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