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New York Governor Will License Illegal Alien Drivers

Anyone hoping for less immigration-fed population growth must be alarmed by New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's intention to follow through on his campaign promise to grant drivers' licenses to illegal aliens.

The Governor justified his decision to reverse the current ban by claiming that since the illegal aliens are already here licensing them would enhance security by bringing them out of the shadows. He has indicated that foreign passports, notoriously prone to fraud, would be accepted as basic ID for applying for a license, and that the secondary ID documents required were still to be determined. He implicitly acknowledged the risk by proposing tight new anti-fraud measures to accompany the looser rules, including proofs of state residency to prevent state Motor Vehicle offices from becoming magnets for illegal or temporary aliens elsewhere in the country.

Estimates are that as many as 500,000 illegal aliens would become eligible for licensing. About a third of those are illegal aliens who have been turned down under the current tougher rules and now will be invited by the state to reapply.

The most vehement opposition to the Governor's plan stems from its severe risk to national security. The Governor's plan is a major step backward from the anti-terrorism recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and the intent of the 2005 Real ID Act (Public Law 109-13). The driver's license is both America's de facto ID card and a pass key for securing many additional civil documents and services, such as airline travel. Many Americans bitterly remember the ease with which the 9/11 terrorists acquired licenses and how they were aided by them in carrying out their plot.

We share the general concern about diminished security. The governor's arguments that security will be enhanced are sophistry masking a cynical political concession to immigrant and ethnic groups and the employers who depend on their labor and patronage. We fear that this example set by a large and immigrant-laden state such as New York will persuade other states to loosen their own rules.

But of even greater concern to those seeking population limits is the welcoming signal the ready availability of licenses sends to current and prospective illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration now boosts the US population by about half a million yearly. Driver's licenses rank high among public services that attract illegals and aid them to remain here and even prosper. They have no standing to claim drivers' and professional or business licenses as a matter of right. Denial of such licenses must remain part of the array of community restrictions to convince illegal aliens that the trouble and inconvenience of living unlawfully in this country outweigh the benefits of staying.

We at NPG believe that our federal government, aided where feasible by state and local governments, should strive to reduce the number of illegal aliens living here permanently, now estimated as high as 12 to 20 million, to near zero. To accomplish this illegal presence here should be punished, not rewarded. We recommend immediate deportation and fines for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders should be subject to fines and a minimum prison term of one year as now prescribed for felonies. Since document fraud is endemic in illegal immigration, we recommend that all those who fraudulently obtain, use or possess social security cards, drivers' licenses, and other vital documents be subject to the maximum fines and prison terms prescribed in federal and state law.

Click here to read our NPG Position Paper titled, "Zero Tolerance For Illegal Immigration: An Urgent Policy Need."