New Mexico governor (R) loses bid to block licenses for illegal (immigrants)

[pampango]

Source: Reuters

New Mexico's newly elected Republican governor lost her attempt to deny driver's licenses to illegal immigrants on Saturday, when the bill died in the state Senate. New Mexico is one of only three states to allow undocumented immigrants to receive driver's licenses.

Governor Susana Martinez, a former prosecutor of Mexican-American descent, made a crackdown on illegal immigration a centerpiece of her campaign before her election in November.

The bill to repeal the state's law giving licenses to illegals was approved in the state House of Representatives on March 4 by a vote of 42-28. In the Senate, where Democrats hold a 27 to 15 majority over Republicans, lawmakers indicated they were more interested in toughening up the existing law rather than repealing it.

"This goes to show that you come in with a radical, extremist agenda, you're going to get push-back because New Mexico is not a radical extremist state," said Marcela Diaz, head of immigrants rights group Somos un Pueblo Unido.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/19/us-licenses-newmexico-idUSTRE72I4BI20110319

[Corruption Winz]

1. Honestly.. I don't see why an illegal immigrant should get a license..

if we are attempting to deport them. Theoretically, that's the law. Then again, I think we should allow all immigrants to come up here and take jobs that we don't want. So.... what the hell do I know.

[Warpy]

2. It encourages them to learn the rules of the road and register and insure their cars

and yes, it's working just that way here in NM. It's a pity so many people see it only in punitive terms.

Our Texas Teabagger needed to get slapped down on this one, like the courts slapped her down for trying to overturn environmental laws by fiat.

If it makes you feel any better, any out of state illegals who try to get licenses are caught and turned over to Immigration. Slowly the word is getting out that if you can't establish residency here, you're not only not going to get licensed, you're going to get caught.

And no, they don't vote with these licenses. There is no SSN on them, rendering them useless at the polls.

[burrowowl]

5. See post 4

and allows then to pay insurance so that rates won't go up and damnit - AND the US f A took this land from Mexico and has signed treaties and is selling arms to Mexican drug dealers endangering Mexican lives and have backed off paying social security to the Brazeros who would worked in the US under FDR on the farms etc.
Many pay out SS and income taxes they won't be able to claim, etc.

[Warpy]

6. That, too. She needed to be slapped down

and I hope enough people are appalled by Tejana Susana that they come out and vote even more Democrats into the lege in 2012.

She really is awful, isn't she?

[Ringo-san]

8. So illegals can be out of state? nt

[Corruption Winz]

10. Lol. I'm Mexican-American...

I'm not against Mexicans. What I was saying is that I didn't see why you would give them licenses if you are hoping to deport them if they're illegal. However, you have a decent argument.

[Warpy]

14. Fortunately, enough of the state lege was around when the law was passed

and they not only remember the arguments in favor of it, they also know the statistics that show the number of accidents involving uninsured drivers has dropped since it was passed.

Martinez is a typical Texas Teabagger, doesn't give a shit about things that work, only about dogma that takes a punitive approach that doesn't.

[Corruption Winz]

15. That's the best thing about being a Teabagger...

You don't have to worry about pesky facts or common sense. You know... like us socialists have to.

[Ringo-san]

7. Does not mean they are then able to vote? nt

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[No Elephants]

17. I'm not so sure it's ALL about jobs Americans don't want or won't do.

IMO, also playiing a role are minimum wages that employers don't want to pay and iminimum working conditions that employers don't want to fuss about, as well as paying undocumented aliens "under the table," thereby avoiding all those pesky employer payroll contributions.

I know plenty of American born folk and documented aliens who are proud to earn their own lawful living cleaning other people's toilets for minimum wage, so I am not sure which lawful jobs they would deem beneath them. However, they can complain when an employer violates U.S. and state law, while undocumented aliens dare not.

So, from an employer perspective, undocumented aliens are more desirable as employees. However, that sounds a lot less palatable than a poor employer who simply cannot find any American born folk or documented aliens who are willing fill his, her or its legitimate employment needs, uppity as we all are.

[burrowowl]

3. GOOD NEWS!

I wish she would get recalled!

[burrowowl]

4. It stops witch hunting

and allows then to pay insurance so that rates won't go up and damnit - AND the US f A took this land from Mexico and has signed treaties and is selling arms to Mexican drug dealers endangering Mexican lives and have backed off paying social security to the Brazeros who would worked in the US under FDR on the farms etc.
Many pay out SS and income taxes they won't be able to claim, etc.

[Lasher]

9. Democrats are going to lose on this issue.

Most New Mexicans are opposed to giving licenses to illegals.

Right now an illegal alien can get a license in New Mexico, Washington, or Utah and then drive in any other state. We need federal legislation to prohibit this.

[Warpy]

16. Just because other states are too dumb to let them register their cars

and get liability insurance, don't expect us to join in.

The program is working here in NM. Your xenophobia is your own problem.

[alp227]

11. Oh, Susana, oh please don't hurt them D's

'cause you'll only make them victims of that party named after Tea.

Now enough with the song and dance and for my serious views. The II's will be able to buy a car and drive it whether licensed or not. Yet going through the learning/examination process to get the license and going through the insurance requirements will reduce the chances of harm...would Governor Martinez rather risk a bunch of unlicensed, uninsured, nonresident drivers on the streets not having a damn clue what to do? Still I wish the feds would enforce the damn immigration/border laws and that Congress would stop playing politics and give a damn about the people for once through COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM...providing a pathway for citizenship for some but not all the II's...deporting all 12 million of them will be so costly and will jam up the immigration judicial system won't it? (And conservatives complain about how them illegals leech of welfare but don't take a moment to consider the fiscal cost of mass deportation...but hey it was OK to go to war in Iraq/Afghanistan/Libya right?)

[NM Independent]

12. An awesome smackdown for a VERY slimy teabagger.

This bitch is one of the worst teabaggers out there. Keep an eye on her because she's going to pull every trick in the book on us here in NM.

[No Elephants]

19. Can we please stop equating women with female dogs and men we

don't like with offspring of female dogs? And while we're at it, maybe we can also lose "whore" and "pussy" (to mean a weak and/or cowardly male or female, while "balls" is used to mean a strong and/or brave male or female). The 21st century C.E. is about time to stop disrespecting the gender of our moms, sisters and daughters, no matter what we may think of an individual female.

P.S. My gender never denied anyone rights to equal protection under the Constitution or other U.S. laws. Nonetheless, I still don't use "pimp," "prick" or "dick," no matter how tempted I may be in any individual instance.

[AngryAmish]

18. Illegals can't get licenses here and it is a pain in the ass

Very few of them have insurance. And driving without license or insurance now a felony.

[No Elephants]

20. Some people are undocumented aliens or undocumented immigrants, even lawbreakers.

No human being is "an illegal," though, even a murderer.

It's a meaningless, de-humanizing and inflammatory misuse of an adjective as a noun that originated with the RW. Please don't help the RW, especially at DU.