Drivers licenses for Illegal Alians

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Governor Spitzer announced last week that he will direct the commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to grant drivers' licenses to illegal aliens, by repealing a 2002 regulation. No vote by the legislature or the people.

I oppose the governor's plan.

What is there about the word 'illegal' in 'illegal immigration' that the governor doesn't understand? A driver's license has become a key item of secure identification nationwide, and the governor's policy would be a disaster for our national security.

New York State has been the national standard for assuring the security and reliability of its drivers' licenses. A driver's license is the most important, uniformly recognized identification document used in the United States.

The governor's action -- an end run around the legislature -- would seriously place every New Yorker at risk and dramatically compromise our security. And it's not fair to the thousands of legal immigrants who played by the rules and became part of our society legally.

The governor's action is a violation of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law. Section 502 (1) of the law specifically requires that a person must provide his social security number when applying for a New York State driver's license. The 1995 law has been upheld by the New York State Court of Appeals as recently as June 7 of this year.

Terrorists seeking to attack the United States have used validly issued drivers' licenses from other states as identification. The September 11th hijackers all used drivers' licenses to purchase their airline tickets, rent cars and reserve hotel rooms.

The federal government passed the Real ID Act, which requires social security number background checks of people applying for drivers' licenses. Governor Spitzer's action will place his administration in violation of state and federal law.

I urge the governor to reconsider his plan -- it's bad for New York and for the nation, and sends a terrible message: 'Break the law; get a driver's license.'

What do you think? Register your opinion on my online poll New York State Senator | 51st Senatorial District | James L. Seward | Survey, and send a note to the governor GOV SITE .

Jim

Senator Jim Seward
518-455-3131