House OKs Citizenship Check for Licenses

[Freddie Stubbs]

Thursday February 10, 2005 8:16 PM


By SUZANNE GAMBOA

WASHINGTON (AP) - Hoping to keep drivers licenses out of the hands of terrorists, the House voted Thursday to make states verify that applicants are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants.

Republicans pushed the measure through on a 261-161 vote despite protests from governors and state motor vehicle departments that it would be too costly and would require them to take on the role of immigration officers.

The bill also would make it easier for judges to deport immigrants seeking political asylum if they think they might be terrorists.

``Common sense says we should not allow suspected terrorists to be able to stay inside our borders if they could harm us,'' said House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4792015,00.html

[methinks2]

1. massive unfunded mandate.''

"massive unfunded mandate." aka knee-jerk reaction by politicians to persuade constituents that they really care about a topic. But if it's unfunded it amounts to nothing, nada, zip,zilch. Just lip-service. Or as my dad always said "wish in one hand and spit in another, see which one weighs more"

[davidinalameda]

2. how does Congress have the power to regulate state driver licenses

isn't this a states rights issue?

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. the same way they lowered drinking age in the '80

Threaten to withhold highway money.

[Trish1168]

3. Why didn't you point out the DISTURBING part of this bill

2/10/2005
Immigration bill sparks furor among some House Republicans, gun owners, and civil libertarians; Quietly breaking ranks
.......................

Barrier Fence Provision

One section of the bill allows the Homeland Security Secretary to waive all federal, state, and local law for the construction of “barriers,” and is viewed by some as in direct opposition to the Constitution.

Primarily, the Secretary would have discretion to suspend environmental, eminent domain and labor laws. The provision is worded, however, in such a way as to not limit construction to the external border of the country and actually includes roads as “barriers.”

Such suspension of labor laws could affect child labor, standards of compensation and safety, any and all compensation for the loss of property, adverse environmental affects and any damages resulting from toxins.

One aide described a real world example.

“Imagine an illegal immigrant, a child, working to build roads on your property while spreading dioxin into the atmosphere,” the aide said.

Sources on both sides of the aisle express great concern over this particular provision.

One Democratic aide stated that “that moderate Republicans have privately expressed concern over the possible loss of the Latino vote, backlash from unions, and the concern that this in no way strengthens the border, a sentiment shared by Congressman Paul with regard to the National ID card.”

Web reference:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=56

My response to this story was to join the ACLU!! I suggest that any who don't belong now should join up. They're on the front lines of this fight.

[Rex]

5. Hastert means liberals when he says terrorists.

You know he would have us all executed if it was in his power.

[struggle4progress]

6. Liberals, Conservatives Oppose New 'Anti-Immigrant' Bill

SAN FRANCISCO-- <snip> Religious and immigrant rights groups, conservatives and conservationists are joining forces against the REAL ID Act, a bill introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). <snip>

Sensenbrenner's bill received the backing of the Bush administration yesterday, in what La Opinión writer Lilian de la Torre-Jiménez calls "a hard blow to the nation's immigrant community."

The bill "tries to paint immigrants as potential terrorists, and slam the door on them," says Jeanne Butterfield, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Religious organizations are particularly opposed to a provision in Sensenbrenner's bill that would make it more difficult for persons fleeing religious or political persecution to attain asylum in this country.

"We believe that our faith requires us to stand behind those who have been oppressed," says Dori Dinsmore, executive director of World Relief-Chicago, a project of the National Association of Evangelicals, one of more than 20 interfaith religious organizations opposing the bill. Other groups include the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the Episcopal Migration Ministries and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. <snip>

http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=18deebae1c275bf4d9376968cc670228