Posted on 08/31/2008 3:35:07 PM PDT by BGHater
A California bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses is one step closer to becoming a state law.
State senate bill 60 passed through the assembly Friday.
If the bill becomes law, legislators say the estimated 2.2 million undocumented immigrants in California will apply for one, an idea that's creating a lot of controversy.
"I think they should be able to get licenses just like everybody else," said Nicole Holland, a Fresnan who supports the bill.
"They are already committing a crime coming over here," said Albert Ratliff, a Fresnan who opposes the bill. "I don't think anybody deserves a license until they are a citizen."
Legislators said that debate is one reason why S.B. 60 hasn't passed into law.
Senator Gilbert Cedillo, (D-Los Angeles) Senate District 22, is the bill's author. He said he started working on it about 10 years ago.
"This isn't about immigrants, it's about highway safety," said Cedillo.
According to Cedillo's bill, about two million undocumented immigrants would be expected to apply for a driver's license within 18 months of it the law takes effect.
He said Governor Schwarzenegger needs to think about the whole picture, before he decides to sign or veto it.
"As the legislature, it's our job to make the roadways safe," said Cedillo.
"The reality is most people are going to drive whether they have a license or not because they need to work, the system is broken by not giving drivers licenses," said Camille Cook.
Cook is an immigration attorney. She pointed out there is another benefit to the bill, which is identifying the undocumented.
"It's better to know who they are," said Cook. "If they don't have licenses we have no idea who they are if they're not in the system."
And that's a benefit at least one Fresnan says is a good idea.
"I think it does make sense as long as they do a background check no D.U.I's and stuff," said Fresnan, Jose Navarrette.
For more information about the bill you can log onto Senator Cedillo's website. AddThis Social Bookmark Button
Another attorney. It’s time to get rid of them in state and federal congress positions.
Sickening
This is BS. They already have them and they are not forgeries. This whole “driver license” issue is just the camel’s nose under the tent flap. Once they get this done, the next step is to “fight” to get illegal aliens Social Security Account Numbers so they won’t have to “live in the shadows.”
Why does that sound so wrong?
I notice the writer was working hard to keep up the use of the term "undocumented immigrant" ~ too bad there's no such critter. You have to have an immigration visa to be an immigrant!
With motor-voter, they can also register to vote on the back of the DMV application. Democrat, of course, in time for the next election.
Is Arnold going to veto this nonsense?
Tennessee did this about 4 years ago... it didn’t last too long. The left said it would make the highways safer. Yeah right.
Once the driver’s license centers became corrupt with several workers selling id’s for cash and the massive influx of illegals from all over the country, the tide started turning. The dem gov, Bredeson, gave it one last college try and actually said in a press release that the state couldn’t afford to lose the revenue from the licenses! It died shortly thereafter.
Lying bass turd. It's NOT about highway safety. People with licenses crash everyday. THIS IS ABOUT MOTOR VOTER AND YOU KNOW IT PUNK!
Pure unadulterated dishonesty.
Highway safety my arse! This is about plucking revenue from an untapped source. How much in fees would the state collect?
Gil Cedillo has been at this for years as the article says. I remember a few years ago, he protested and killed off an amendment to his bill that would have put an identifying mark on a license issued to “undocumented” people. He was against doing that because he said it would be discriminatory. Yet if the goal was simply to make sure everyone took a driver’s test and had a license, you would think that a license with an identifier would be better than no license, right?
I wonder what Gil Cedillo thinks of the Calif. drivers licenses of today that have stamped on them, in big bold print, the year that someone turns age 21. That was done to make it clear how old someone is if asked for ID in a bar, to fight underage drinking. Certainly that is discriminatory against the under 21 crowd.
We need to fight One Bill Gil again on this and never give up.
Illegal immigration is killing us.
The liberal governor will probably sign it.
Man, we’re screwed.
All they have to do is hold out a few more months.
Any chance this will be brought up in the debates? I would love to know Obama’s and McCain’s Views on this.
OK - give them a license, then confiscate it and deport or arrest them.
For example, on the night before the law goes into effect, quietly move ICE vans into a nearby area where they can't be seen, and do this at every DMV.
Next morning have a designated line/window for illegals to apply, and when they get in line, take them out to the waiting vans and take them back to their beloved country!
(Tongue-in-cheek, y’know, but it stopped me from swearing.)
See-this is what makes it seem like an Alice-in-Wonderland” world.
Law breakers walk into a department of state law enforcement. The employee is informed that the person has violated immigration laws, and thus has the obligation to have the person arrested!! But instead the person is given special privileges through a license to drive.
I need a drink...
Cook is an immigration attorney. She pointed out there is another benefit to the bill, which is identifying the undocumented.
"It's better to know who they are," said Cook. "If they don't have licenses we have no idea who they are if they're not in the system."
The system is *not* broken; all the illegals need do is keep their old (legal) drivers license and pair it with an International Drivers License. It's inexpensive and easy - and this attorney knows it. Her second point, "identifying the undocumented" is disingenuous at best - again, with an IDL, they're documented and in the system.
Of course, all of this presumes that they have been issued a drivers license in their home country. I suspect that is often not the case.
Sounds like the State is breaking the law.
“Any person who . . . encourages or induces an alien to . . . reside . . . knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such . . . residence is . . . in violation of law, shall be punished as provided . . . for each alien in respect to whom such a violation occurs . . . fined under title 18 . . . imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.”
Section 274 felonies under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A):
A person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:
* assists an alien s/he should reasonably know is illegally in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him or her to obtain employment, or
* encourages that alien to remain in the U.S. by referring him or her to an employer or by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way, or
* knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions.
http://www.fairus.org/html/04176912.htm
Scoff-law Ping!!!
“As the legislature, it’s our job to make the roadways safe,”
Is there a study somewhere that these illegals are causing deaths and accidents in California highways?
In that case, the solution would be stricter enforcement of road laws, including getting these illegal drivers off the street.
John & Ken will save the day!
re: “You have to have an immigration visa to be an immigrant!”
Not true. There was no such thing as illegal “immigrant” until the late 1920s. Most of our ancestors arrived here with no visa, no official papers of any kind. For most of our history, our immigration law has been very clear:
It was illegal for indigents, prostitutes, thieves, and other “undesireables” to enter the USA, with or without official papers. Any person who entered was presumed innocent until suspected otherwise. Up until about 1971 local law enforcement had the ability to deport any non-citizen he thought undesireable without any proof. The burden of proof was on the accused to then prove he shouldn’t be deported. About 1971 Nixon’s INS-DOJ took that power away from local law enforcement and centralize it exclusively in the Federal government. Democrat Mayor Daley fought that centralization of power by Nixon and lost in Federal Appeals Court. The result was a Federal Court order that legitimized the centralization of power.
That centralization was the big mistake. Above all else, we need to empower local law enforcement to deport the undesireables as they did in the past. When big government does not work, the solution is not an even bigger government.
is = are
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Let's see 18,000,000 times $20 buck ea. Follow the money
Gil Cedillo is the sponsor? That tells me all I need to know about this bill. Cedillo is quite a vocal ally of illegals (from Mexico and Central America, anyway: if the vast majority of illegals were from Scandinavia instead of Mexico he would be demanding immediate deportations at the very least). Cedillo is the guy who promised to watch the Trojan Horse at night so the city could get some sleep, only to assist the invaders as they climbed out.
“Illegal immigration is killing us.”
Which seems to be just fine with Gil Cedillo.
“This isn’t about immigrants, it’s about highway safety,” said Cedillo.
Lying bass turd. It’s NOT about highway safety. People with licenses crash everyday. THIS IS ABOUT MOTOR VOTER AND YOU KNOW IT PUNK!
HMMMM, maybe California internal polling data has McCain/Palin closing the gap?
Hey, one can wish, huh?
This is, I think, the 3rd time Cedillo has tried to get this POS bill through. Arnie vetoed it the last time. He better veto it again, or his political future is over.
Yep... and expand the database to have national I.D.s for everyone.
Liberals make me sick.
I think the burglar who broke into your house should be able to sit at your dinner table, watch your TV, and sleep in your guest room just like everybody else who comes to your house, Nicole.
And this from a strong contributor to threads and posts on the topic of Aliens and Immigration here.
To oppose what the Libs and RINOs want for American with respect to those here illegally.
Increasingly difficult.
Gad!
At the present to be an immigrant you must have a visa for that purpose.
The Terry Anderson Show...
Terry’s guest tonight will be ALTHEA SHAW...
Aunt of Jamiel Shaw who was murdered by an illegal alien..
Call Terry LIVE 9-10 PM PST at (866) 870-57521
LIVE stream at http://krla870.townhall.com/
http://www.republicbroadcasting.org/index.php?cmd=listenliv
Well, they have to get them licenses. It will be a lot easier to tax them in a few years when the illegals flee CA like everyone else.
Oh, silly me. What am I thinking? They'll just have the U.S. citizens' tax dollars pay for their auto insurance.
Why does that sound so wrong?
Cause it sounds like something a 3rd grader would say.
I do not have a lot of faith that Arnold will veto this. He cannot get much worse than he already is.
I agree.
Thank you John McCain.
Yes,
Arnold said he will veto it in it’s current form. One bill Gil loses again!
It is really amazing how ignorant Californians can be. Undocumented Immigrants are going to drive on our roads regardless whether they have a License or not. So wouldn’t it make sense to make sure it is safer for everyone by properly licensing them? Get over your own personal fears of foreigners and check in to reality. Giving licenses to undocumented immigrants will make it safer for those who are citizens.
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