New rules helped Utah snag immigrants’ illegal driver licenses

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | July 27, 2014 | By Lee Davidson

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Forcing Utah drivers to prove their citizenship and identity for a license may have seemed like torture at times during the past five years, initially causing lines with waits that averaged more than three hours.

But it has brought some results expected by lawmakers during heated immigration debates.

Since the program started in 2010, the state found that 5,923 undocumented immigrants illegally had full driver licenses, obtained largely through use of Social Security numbers they should not have had.

"We knew there were a handful of people out there who were undocumented but had a Social Security number, so they acquired a regular license," she said. "It could possibly entitle them to benefits they shouldn’t receive. They could possibly vote."

[cloudmountain]

Oh my, do I ever love hearing that.
Since the program started in 2010, the state found that 5,923 undocumented immigrants illegally had full driver licenses, obtained largely through use of Social Security numbers they should not have had.

MAJOR league fraud.
Put in el poki--that's Spanglish for JAIL. :o)

[cloudmountain]

OR, as Foghorn Leghorn would say: “It wahms, ah say, it wahms the cockels of mah heart.”

[Guenevere]

Encouragement BTTT

[cloudmountain]

Encouragement BTTT

DOUBLE DITTO.

[impactplayer]

We have a similar system in Florida, but for me it resulted in an amusing situation. I brought in my “original” birth certificate with the doctors signature on it, but it was not accepted because it was not notarized. I had to have a copy notarized, and then it was accepted. Somehow, bureaucracy always gets involved.

[SkyDancer]

Not to worry. Some federal judge will overturn it or something.

[Ben Ficklin]

You have to read down aways to find the key sentence in the article:

"The effort has made Utah one of the 20 states so far to be in full compliance with the federal Real ID Act for drivers licenses."

Florida is also in compliance.

Some states are in compliance. Some states have received extensions because they are moving towards compliance. Some states are not in compliance.

Countdown to Real ID

Keep in mind that Congress cannot enact immigration reform until enough states are in compliance or moving towards compliance.

[Dilbert San Diego]

It seems odd. All this business about verified IDs and such so you can go into a federal building. But then liberals are against showing an ID to vote.

[az_gila]

The Utah effort should be followed by a check of the voter rolls for the 6000 odd non-citizens, and followed by appropriate prosecutions.

[libstripper]

TN has also gone to requiring proof of citizenship for the two most basic documents, driver’s licenses and handgun carry permits. I was happy to see it happen and not at all inconvenienced when I needed to provide my passport to renew my HCP a couple of years ago. I just went to my local drivers’ licensing office, provided them with my passport, and they copied it and sent the copy to Nashville. Then I timely received my renewed HCP, which I’ve used for voter ID ever since. Cool, and a GREAT thing to have.

[Praxeologue]

"We knew there were a handful of people out there who were undocumented but had a Social Security number, so they acquired a regular license," she said. "It could possibly entitle them to benefits they shouldn’t receive. They could possibly vote."

They could vote anyway. All an illegal at a polling station has to do is swear to an affidavit that they are a U.S. citizen. Then they vote.

[AZLiberty]

Go figure. Arizona, one of the non-compliant states, passed a bill in 2008 prohibiting the implementation of Real ID in Arizona. The bill was passed by a Republican legislature and signed into law by none other than then-Governor Janet Napolitano.

So many ironies here.

[Pagey]

Bttt