State governors are warning that costs of driver licenses and IDs will skyrocket under the Real ID Act of 2005.
“It’s outrageous to pass this off on the states,” said Republican Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, incoming chairman of the National Governors Association. “You’re essentially asking the front-line clerks at the DMV to become an INS agent and a law enforcement agent.” — Associated Press
New Mexico governor Bill Richardson also said that the law unconstitutionally infringed upon his state’s right to issue driver licenses to illegal immigrants.
And Bruce Schneier, author of Beyond Fear, comments that since the 9/11 terrorists got driver licenses by bribing Virginia DMV employees, the Real ID Act won’t fix this.
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insanehippie
Jul 22, 2005
There’s more to this story, I also talked about this story on July 19th and found out thru ALIPAC.US that workers in the North Carolina DMV offices have been giving/selling licenses. I also have a little map showing which states have been lenient or have expressed lenience towards illegal aliens presently.
http://blog.insanehippie.net/wordpress/?p=37
KAM
Aug 01, 2005
I read about this story in TIME a few months ago, and I think New Mexico raises a serious issue.
The problem here isn’t that illegal immigrants are getting a new “right” by having a drivers license. The article points out that while illegal immgrants gain a valid drivers license (and some valid documentation), what the state of New Mexico gets in return is a goldmine of factual information on their illegal immigration problems AND are able to track illegal immigrants easier. This makes it FAR easier to develop good public policy.
What kills me is the fact that the same people who bitch and moan for states rights (and rightfully so!) are now bitching and moaning that New Mexico shouldn’t have the right to do this.
In other news, Kentucky just recently raised its drivers license application and renewal fees from $8 to $20, and this was put into action before the RealID act was passed. Expect them to go up again if Republican “Boy Guv” Ernie Fletcher decides to go along with this. Hopefully he will have common sense to fight this instead of being dragged down in his “Blackberry Jam” scandal.
Nov 11, 2005
One year of homeland stupidity - IO ERROR
Jan 02, 2006
EPIC 2005 Privacy Year in Review - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Jan 13, 2006
The Real ID nightmare - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Apr 12, 2006
What does a REAL ID look like? - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Sep 25, 2006
REAL ID costs: $11 billion, double time at DMV - Homeland Stupidity