State Immigrant I.D. Llicense for Disaster, Foes Say [Tennessee License Scandal - Business as Usual]

GoMemphis.com (The Memphis Commercial Appeal) ^ | February 20, 2002 | Tom Bailey Jr.

[Shermy]

Proposed legislation requiring more documents from immigrants applying for Tennessee driver's licenses would make roads more dangerous, licensing centers more stressful and the nation no more secure. That's the position of the Department of Safety, said Roland Colson, executive assistant to Commissioner Denny W. King.

"We do not have any legislative effort at this point in time directed toward changing any of the rules," Colson said.

The General Assembly last year passed a law making it unnecessary for immigrants applying for a driver's license to show a Social Security number.

But opponents are pushing for repeal this year, often citing the post-Sept. 11 terrorist threat.

In response, Latino Memphis Connection, a social service agency serving the Hispanic community, and other organizations are churning out press releases, endorsement letters and other information to defeat repeal attempts.

"There's a lot of misinformation out there, and we're trying to rectify that," said David Lubell, community outreach coordinator for Latino Memphis Connection.

"We think if people understand the whole story, they won't be threatened at all."

Among legislators pushing for tighter access to driver's licenses is Rep. Tre Hargett (R-Bartlett). "I think we now have a group of people who have driver's licenses that we can't necessarily verify they are who they say they are," he said.

"Our driver's license centers are flooded because of the ease of obtaining driver's licenses."

But the Coalition for a Safer Tennessee, a group defending the new driver's license law, lists among supporters the Tennessee Bar Association, Knoxville Police Department, Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission, Nashville Chamber of Commerce and other religious, business, community and government organizations.

Lubell said Tennesseans should think about the children.

"Do you want your children crossing the street when they could be at risk from a driver who doesn't know the rules of the road?

"It's not an immigration issue. It's a safety issue."

Opponents of easier access to licenses also propose alternative legislation that would require immigrants to show they are in the United States legally through such documents as a passport or visa.

The opponents cite concerns over terrorists using fraudulently obtained driver's licenses as IDs. As many as five of the Sept. 11 hijackers fraudulently obtained identification cards Aug. 2 from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, federal authorities have alleged.

Opponents also are pointing to the alleged driver's license scam uncovered in Memphis this month. License examiner Katherine Smith, who died in a fiery car wreck Feb. 10, was charged the week before with conspiring to provide fraudulently obtained driver's licenses.

Her co-defendants are five men of Middle Eastern descent. Three of the men admitted to being in the United States illegally and said they were going to pay two middlemen about $1,000 each for driver's licenses, according to the FBI.

While free on her own recognizance, Smith died in what federal authorities describe as a suspicious wreck, the result of arson.

Federal authorities have said they are investigating any possible terrorist links among Smith's co-defendants.

An FBI agent has testified that one of Smith's co-defendants and a leader of the alleged scam told authorities he traveled from New York to Tennessee to get licenses in part because Tennessee does not require immigrants to have a Social Security number.

But Colson said the alleged collusion of the driver's license examiner was a much bigger factor.

"For an examiner that knows the system and knows how it works, there is a possibility they could find a way to enter a Social Security number that could be verified and allowed for a driver's license to be issued," he said.

"Having the Social Security number is not a fail-safe mechanism," he said. "There are ways a person who knows the system can get around it."

And anybody can get a Social Security number, Colson said. "I mean, some of the people that were terrorists had Social Security numbers. That in itself is not a security item."

The Department of Safety also does not want to require people who are not citizens to prove they are in the United States legally by showing proper INS documents such as passports or visas.

"It is a federal requirement of the INS to find out whether someone is here legally or not," Colson said. "It is not our obligation at this particular point."

Arkansas takes a different approach.

"If the paperwork doesn't look right, we'll call the INS and start checking them out," said Susan Willingham, Arkansas license examiner.

If the Tennessee General Assembly starts requiring such proof of a person's legal presence, the Department of Safety would need more money, training and workers, Colson said.

Applicants already stand in line for hours at testing centers, especially in bigger cities like Memphis. It's been an issue for years.

The driver's license division has 303 employees to handle 5.2 million drivers, he said. Workers not only issue driver's licenses but also issue handgun permits, take fingerprints and issue identification cards for people who don't drive.

Making it easier for immigrants to get licenses not only helps individuals, Colson said, it boosts the state's construction and farming industries.

"They have a dramatic need for labor," he said. "These people coming here, they provide that." [no, they provide cheap labor, suppressing the wages of Americans. Disgusting. This guy could write for the Wall Street Journal!]

Plus, deny immigrants a driver's license, Colson said, "and what you are going to do is put a large group of people out on the road that do not have a license, do not have insurance and do not understand the rules of the road."

Ricardo Duran, 44, of Colombia studied the rules, passed the exam and received his license about three weeks ago.

"We wouldn't have been able to get a driver's license if the state had forced us to have a Social Security number," said his wife, Claudia Duran, 40.

Since May, the Durans have been in Memphis, where their 11-year-old daughter, Ana, is being treated for leukemia at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

First of all, the driver's license helps the family get around Memphis, Claudia Duran said. "Second of all, it helps you to have an ID." Her husband's driver's license even has helped them finally to be able to rent videos.

- Tom Bailey Jr.: 529-2388

baileytom@gomemphis.com

[Dawgsquat]

Horse Hockey!

Ya know, if the f'ing feds were doing their job this wouldn't be a problem.

[Tauzero]

"About as smart as saying that rape isn't about sex."

It is, but not about sexual gratification.

Sorry, off-topic.

[rebdov]

I think the rest of us should file a class action suit against the State of Tenn. for aiding and abetting.

[Travis McGee]

bttt

[JDGreen123]

Phil Valentine will be on the Bill O'Reily show tonight 7 PM CST/8 PM EST to discuss this whole license fiasco and the incident in Memphis.

[Shermy]

According to another thread:

"A conservative radio talk show host in Nashville by the name of Phil Valentine was the first to break this story. He will be appearing on "The O'Rielly Factor" tonight, Feb 20th."

[Tauzero]

Though immigration should be curtailed, the DMV gets no sympathy from me, and I certainly don't want more hassle at the DMV just because the damn fedgov isn't doing its job. I'm sick of showing my papers, paying for this sticker, that card, etc.

The only reason for all the rules and fees surrounding car ownership is that cars are virtually indispensible -- the state's got us by the balls.

[Shermy]

You beat me on internet speed! Kudos.

Here's my Tennessee License Scandal template. Freepmail me any additions and suggestions for my index. I think I lost previous suggestions :( Still good for Fox researcher lurkers. :)

______________

Feb. 7

Six Charged in Tenn. License Plot [Courtesy of the Tennessee DemocRAT Party]

Feb. 8 (for comedic relief)

Dri ver license fraud case here is a rare incident, state says

Feb. 11

WOMAN ARRESTED FOR AIDING ARABS IN DRIVER'S LICENSE SCAM PRESUMED DEAD

Tennessee finds a cost to easing driver's license rules Some other states, airlines no longer accept (Boston Globe)

Feb. 12

Feds fear license examiner is dead - Memphis Woman's co-defendants tied to 9/11, judge told

Feb. 13:

Body in car identified as license examiner - Update on Memphis, Tennesse License Examiner

Feb. 14

TENN DRIVER LICENSE SCANDAL: FLAMING DEATH NO ACCIDENT, FBI SAYS

TENN DRIVER LICENSE SCANDAL: FLAMING DEATH NO ACCIDENT, FBI SAYS (II)

Flaming death no accident, FBI says - Gasoline found on clothes of license examiner

Feb. 15

New York Times (with Pics of car) F.B.I. Says Arson Killed Woman Accused in License Scheme

Sm ith led low-impact life until arrest, fiery end (Not a thread)

Images of the burned car owned by Katherine Smith * alternate title: How Arabs Kill Witnesses

FBI Agent: Arson Killed Key Suspect (driver's license examiner accused of supplying terrorists)

Feb.16

License suspect had WTC repair pass, but Port Authority did its own work [Tennessee License Scandal]

TE NN DRIVER LICENSE SCANDAL: FLAMING DEATH NO ACCIDENT, FBI SAYS

Feb. 18:

Mourners remember the good deeds of license examiner, not how she died

Feb. 20

Terror in Tennessee? (Front Page magazine)

*TN License Scandals

Pics of License Scam suspects

Color Pics of Suspects

[spodefly]

You point to the petition online at:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?immiGBA -- which currently has under 1000 signatures.

There is also a petition on line at the same sight that is to grant amnesty to illegal aliens, or as they refer to them 'undocumented immigrants' -- http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?i1pacman -- it has over 2500 signatures.

[Inge_CAV]

BTTT!

[Shermy]

Ty ty.

Humor break: Today's WMC-TV has a small story-License fraud defendant not guilty, says attorney

"An attorney for one of the men charged in the driver's license fraud case says his client is not guilty.

Khaled Odtllah claims he was just helping the defendants get to the front of the line. His attorney, Anthony Helm, says Odtllah did not get any money as prosecutors allege, and he did not fill out any of the license applications because he does not read or write English.

Odtllah does admit he brought the applications inside the driver's testing center on Summer Avenue and handed them to examiner Katherine Smith. Helm also says he and his client found out in the hearing that Smith had died in a mysterious car fire the day before. Odtllah also denies he drove to Memphis from New York on September 11th. He says it was several days before and had been visiting his family in New York.

Odtllah also denies having any connection to terrorism."

____________

Sounds like the attorney has a tough job on this one!

[Inge_CAV]

I am amazed these people are still running loose in our country.

Guess it is too PC to look for ME terrorists types. Unfavorable press coverage don't you know.

[JDGreen123]

Making it easier for immigrants to get licenses not only helps individuals, Colson said, it boosts the state's construction and farming industries.

Phil Valentine pointed out that this is the key sentence. The Construction/Road Building and Agriculture interests are the strongest lobbies in Tennessee. They want to keep the cost of labor low. They have financed enough politicians to get their way. Throw in the hotel industry, like Gaylord, that actually flies in workers from Latin countries to lower costs and we have little means of opposing this cabal.

Several states are now refusing to recognize a Tennessee driver's license as means of identity proof and rightly so. All Tennesseans will suffer from this aspect. I wish someone would send Tennessee some real conservatives. We only have a choice between Dems and RINOs. Howard Baker and Lamar Alexander set the trend and it rolls on. To the bulk of the Tennessee Republican Party, the only thing that matters is MONEY. If something increases profits then it's good no matter what else may come by enacting the legislation.

The Feds do deserve some blame. Until recently, Tennessee had one INS office in Memphis to serve the entire state! There have been horror stories of local police arresting illegals only to be told by the INS that they have no time or room to pickup and care for the illegals. The police have thus stopped wasting their time by trying to do anything about the situation.

[scholar]

put a large group of people out on the road that do not have a license, do not have insurance and do not understand the rules of the road."

My question exactly. Don't know how many Illionoisans we have on this thread, but Illinois has had a major scandal re turning people loose to drive semi's whose licenses were paid for and who could not read or speak English. We natural born citizens could never get away with this crap.

[freepy smurf]

"Do you want your children crossing the street when they could be at risk from a driver who doesn't know the rules of the road?"

Does giving them licenses suddenly make them safer? They broke laws just to get here, how much respect for our other laws do you expect them to have? How would they drive when they are desparate to get away from an IMS vehicle that is following them? Do you want your children crossing the street then?

[sarcasm]

Kansas too:

Licenses for undocumented aliens steer legislators both ways
Driving: INS official says passage of bill would make deportation more difficult; proponents say it would give sense of identity

[scholar]

deny immigrants a driver's license, Colson said, "and what you are going to do is put a large group of people out on the road that do not have a license, do not have insurance and do not understand the rules of the road."

We already have thousands of those people on the road--legals and illegals, but the government can never seem to do anything about them. But those of us who obey the laws, have insurance, etc. will get shafted for the slightest infraction.

[WRhine]

Making it easier for immigrants to get licenses not only helps individuals, Colson said, it boosts the state's construction and farming industries. "They have a dramatic need for labor," he said. "These people coming here, they provide that." [no, they provide cheap labor, suppressing the wages of Americans. Disgusting. This guy could write for the Wall Street Journal!]

Disgusting is Right. Of what concern is it to a highway commissioner to speak out about the illegal labor needs of certain TN industries? Where is that in Colson's job description? This is a clear conflict of interest and a good indiction that some of these TN bureaucrats are on the take with businesses that peddle in the illegal job market.

Most distrubing is that these hucksters don't care a wit that this perversity makes it possible for terrorists to obtain IDs without background checks much less how it hurts local citizens working for work.

Welcome to today’s America. Anything can be bought in the political arena at the right price.

[JDGreen123]

These three ladies are the only legislators watching out for us. They have led the fight against the state income tax as well as the fight against the licenses for illegals. They have caught heck from the Dems and their own party of RINOs. They have been called racist, reactionaries, and naysayers. Any of them would make a great Governor:

Senator Marsha Blackburn Marsha Blackburn Profile

Representative Donna Rowland: Donna Rowland Profile

Representative Mae Beavers: Mae Beavers Profile

They are Tennessee's version of "Charlie's Angels."

[Joe Hadenuf]

This immigration nightmare is

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