Spitzer said he was giving up because he had concluded that "New York State cannot successfully address this problem on its own." He said he wanted to act because of the failure of the federal government to deal with immigration policy and the impact that failure was having on New York.
"I would suggest to you what everyone already knows, " Spitzer said. "The federal government has lost control of its borders. It has allowed millions of undocumented workers to enter our country and now has no solution to deal with them."
The effect was about 1 million undocumented workers in New York state, "many of whom are driving without licenses," said Spitzer
-Dropped plan after a swirl of controversy
-He recognized the public tolerance was not there
-Hugely unpopular with NY voters
-All this translated into a impossibility to move forward with the plan
Monday, December 3, 2007
"Con's"
-A number of states have implemented plans that allow illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses. Critics charge that such policies create a security risk and encourage illegal immigrants to come to America.
-The Spitzer plan "is potentially the worst of all possibilities," said Chishti. "He's telling the undocumented 'we're going to give you a driver's license, but it will clearly say this is not for federal purposes. It will indicate to anyone who looks at it that you are not here legally.'" Chishti said illegal immigrants "will be very, very reticent" to apply for such a document.
-"The public feels illegal aliens should receive no benefits from the government," William Gheen of the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC said in an interview with CBS News. "Licenses, in state tuition, anything short of emergency medical care will only attract more illegal aliens."
-"I believe this is just a fundamental issue of right and wrong," said Rep. Tom Latham, an Iowa Republican against Spitzer's plan. "And to give people official recognition when they come in and break the law in their first act in this country is simply wrong."
-The Spitzer plan "is potentially the worst of all possibilities," said Chishti. "He's telling the undocumented 'we're going to give you a driver's license, but it will clearly say this is not for federal purposes. It will indicate to anyone who looks at it that you are not here legally.'" Chishti said illegal immigrants "will be very, very reticent" to apply for such a document.
-"The public feels illegal aliens should receive no benefits from the government," William Gheen of the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC said in an interview with CBS News. "Licenses, in state tuition, anything short of emergency medical care will only attract more illegal aliens."
-"I believe this is just a fundamental issue of right and wrong," said Rep. Tom Latham, an Iowa Republican against Spitzer's plan. "And to give people official recognition when they come in and break the law in their first act in this country is simply wrong."
"Pro's"
-Supporters of such legislation say it's a mistake not to document illegal immigrants.
They believe it is a way, a step in the right direction of documenting all illegal immigrants in this country.
-Democrats have largely backed giving legal status to undocumented workers, but have sometimes differed on issues of enforcement. Both parties are wary of alienating Latino voters, who represent a sizable and rapidly growing voting bloc.
-Senator Clinton supports governors like Governor Spitzer who believe they need such a measure to deal with the crisis caused by this administration's failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform," the statement said. "As President, her goal will be to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would make this unnecessary."
-"This is a really bad issue to have a substantive disagreement on," said Muzaffar Chishti of the Migration Policy Institute’s office at the New York University law school. "Every expert out there thinks it's a good idea to give driver's licenses to the undocumented."
-Chishti said it is important to have data on everyone in the country, undocumented or otherwise, for security reasons. "The pragmatic response is to have them in a database," he said.
-The DMV database is the most sort after means to track individuals
They believe it is a way, a step in the right direction of documenting all illegal immigrants in this country.
-Democrats have largely backed giving legal status to undocumented workers, but have sometimes differed on issues of enforcement. Both parties are wary of alienating Latino voters, who represent a sizable and rapidly growing voting bloc.
-Senator Clinton supports governors like Governor Spitzer who believe they need such a measure to deal with the crisis caused by this administration's failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform," the statement said. "As President, her goal will be to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would make this unnecessary."
-"This is a really bad issue to have a substantive disagreement on," said Muzaffar Chishti of the Migration Policy Institute’s office at the New York University law school. "Every expert out there thinks it's a good idea to give driver's licenses to the undocumented."
-Chishti said it is important to have data on everyone in the country, undocumented or otherwise, for security reasons. "The pragmatic response is to have them in a database," he said.
-The DMV database is the most sort after means to track individuals
Spitzer’s Proposal
Spitzer said licensing workers who did not have Social Security numbers, which New York had done in the past, would have aided law enforcement and would have made the state's streets safer and more secure.
Spitzer’s earlier plan to grant a single type of license to both legal residents and illegal immigrants worked out in concert with the Department of Homeland Security was met with criticism from both sides.
Spitzer's revised plan calls for a system in which three licenses will be available to New York residents.
One type of license, which would be available to legal residents, would conform to the Real ID Act of 2005, a controversial federal standard designed to tighten homeland security by making it more difficult for illegal immigrants to get state driver's licenses. This license would be sufficient identification for residents who want to fly domestically. Critics, among them the ACLU, contend that compliance with the Act "would turn state driver's licenses into a national ID card." Fourteen states have refused to comply over potential cost and privacy implications.
A second type of license would allow residents to cross the border between Canada and the United States without a passport.
The third, which would be available to illegal immigrants, would be used solely for driving and identification, and would allow those who hold it to get auto insurance.
Spitzer’s earlier plan to grant a single type of license to both legal residents and illegal immigrants worked out in concert with the Department of Homeland Security was met with criticism from both sides.
Spitzer's revised plan calls for a system in which three licenses will be available to New York residents.
One type of license, which would be available to legal residents, would conform to the Real ID Act of 2005, a controversial federal standard designed to tighten homeland security by making it more difficult for illegal immigrants to get state driver's licenses. This license would be sufficient identification for residents who want to fly domestically. Critics, among them the ACLU, contend that compliance with the Act "would turn state driver's licenses into a national ID card." Fourteen states have refused to comply over potential cost and privacy implications.
A second type of license would allow residents to cross the border between Canada and the United States without a passport.
The third, which would be available to illegal immigrants, would be used solely for driving and identification, and would allow those who hold it to get auto insurance.
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