Richardson Tightens NM Driver's License Laws
NM Gov. Bill Richardson wants to make sure foreign nationals can't get divers' licenses by assuming fake identities.
Today, he directed state regulators to require foreign nationals to provide two different proofs of identification before being permitted to obtain a state driver's license. One of them must contain a verifiable federal identification number. The other must be a passport issued by the person's country of citizenship.
Richardson had wanted state lawmakers to require immigrations to provide their fingerprints in exchange for a license, but the legislative session ended last week without taking that action. Previously, foreign nationals in NM could obtain licenses by providing either a passport or a federal identification number -- not both.
Richardson, who in '04 declared a state of emergency on NM's border, will not please critics of illegal immigration; NM's laws regulating foreign nationals and driver licenses remain among the country's least restrictive.
But he remains a Dem who, because of his heritage and his actions in office, has earned the grudging respect of many who believe the country's border enforcement is woefully lax.
Give me a break. I worked at the state legislature during Richardson's first term as gov when the Dem majority passed the law that has allowed illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses. Republicans tried to amend the legislation with safeguards then, to no avail because Richardson and the Dems didn't want them. Richardson has given free tuition to them and told state law enforcement they cannot inqure as to someone's immigrant status. He did everything he could to exacerbate the border problem in our state and the only reason he enacted these new restrictions was because of the billboards put up in other states about New Mexico licensing terrorists. Why is the press always so duped by this Governor? Don't any of you do your homework?
Your xenophobic knee-jerk reaction is sickening Erica. This man will stand up in history as the only voice of reason and compassion. History will look down on you and yours with disdain.