how the heck were they able to give them one in the first place? could you just walk in the door and ask for one? I know I needad 18 fomrs of ID and a phone call from my mom to get mine....
dammit? just exactly how did you get one there with NO PAPERS>???
And why isn't some public official or another being arrested for allowing it?
Driver's certificate program reopening
State had stopped program for legal immigrants after questions arose
By Associated Press
March 4, 2006
KNOXVILLE -- The state will resume issuing driving certificates to legal immigrants Monday.
The program was halted last month because state officials said they couldn't be sure the documents were going only to immigrants living in Tennessee.
Driver's certificates will be available only to people who have papers indicating they are in the U.S. legally. The state has indefinitely suspended driver's certificates for illegal immigrants.
"We're not sure if the program will be revised or scratched," said safety department spokeswoman Melissa McDonald. "The review is barely under way and may take several more weeks."
The program that began in 2004 was shut down by state officials after federal investigations found bribes to state license examiners and black-market shuttles bringing out-of-state immigrants to apply for the certificates. The state issued about 51,000 driver's certificates before the program was halted.
Advocates for immigrants say the change could mean more untrained and uninsured immigrant drivers on the road.
"With the certificates, people were prepared, tried to be safe on the roads and had insurance, but we're going to lose that," said Lourdes Perez, director of Hispanic Catholic Ministry in Knoxville. "Just because they won't be able to get a certificate doesn't mean people are not going to drive."
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