Martinez faces tough road ahead for repeal of driver’s licenses ( illegals in NM )

The New Mexico Independent ^ | 11/10/10 | Trip Jennings

[george76]

Republican Gov.-elect Susana Martinez promised repeatedly during this year’s election to try to repeal a law allowing illegal immigrants to get New Mexico drivers licenses and to revoke thousands of already-issued documents. But interviews with state lawmakers this week make clear that undoing the law isn’t a sure thing when the New Mexico Legislature convenes in Santa Fe in January for one of the toughest sessions in recent memory.

For one, it’s unclear whether enough state lawmakers support the repeal effort to push it through both chambers in the Legislature, which Democrats still control despite losing eight seats in the House of Representatives during last week’s election.

Then there’s the potential for New Mexico’s budgetary problems to crowd out other large, controversial measures ...

...

About 10 states had similar laws on the books when New Mexico passed its drivers’ license law in 2003. But since then that number has dwindled to only three – New Mexico, Washington and Utah...

Currently around 80,000 foreign nationals have New Mexico driver’s licenses, but not all are illegal immigrants, making it difficult to determine the exact number of illegal immigrants with state driver’s licenses

[george76]

Utah has long protected illegal immigrants and provided them with endless public benefits, including discounted tuition at public colleges and universities. Two of the state’s largest cities—Salt Lake City and Provo—have official sanctuary policies that forbid public employees or law enforcement officers from inquiring about a resident’s immigration status.

The policy inevitably led to the recent murder of a Utah sheriff’s deputy who was gunned down by an illegal immigrant with an extensive criminal record and multiple deportation orders. The Mexican illegal had several felony convictions and had been deported three times yet remained in the U.S. undetected because he lived in a sanctuary state. He shot the officer, a mother of two, during a traffic stop in west central Utah

http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2010/jan/utah-gives-illegal-aliens-special-driver-s-licenses

[ken5050]

The effort must be made..

[metmom]

I agree. And since I don’t live in NM, the best I can do is pray about it.

[CedarDave]

In NM you just have to say you have insurance - no piece of paper required. The vehicle registration says something like owner affirms financial responsibility.

That's true if you renew your vehicle by mail or internet. If you delay and have to pay in person, you need to show proof of insurance. Been there, done that.

[CedarDave]

Thanks for the ping — been away from the computer for two days.

[Let's Roll]

So they aren’t even consistent. Color me shocked.

[BlessingsofLiberty]

“The problem is, which is more dangerous, having uninsured unlicensed drivers, or licensed, insured illegal aliens?”

It really doesn’t matter whether they have licenses or not. New Mexico is notorious for its uninsured motorists of all stripes and its drunk drivers.

Our auto insurance reflects that fact with regular rate increases...the most recent occurring just this year.

Giving illegals driver’s licenses doesn’t guarantee that they will get any type of insurance, that they will insure their vehicles for any length of time or that that they will follow any other laws. Why should they? They broke several laws when they crossed into the USA....they are ILLEGAL aliens.

The only time that proof of insurance is required is when your vehicle is registered or when you pay your yearly registration. You can probably surmise how that can work itself out.