Liberal in the Land of Conservative

Letter: Illegal immigrants should not get drivers’ licenses
Julie Larson Otsego

Published: November 23. 2007 12:30AM

Recently, the governor of New York announced that illegal immigrants might be allowed to obtain New York state drivers’ licenses. According to news reports, the only required documentation an illegal immigrant would have to present to obtain the driver’s license is a valid foreign passport.

Like many Americans, I support legal immigration, but I oppose rewarding those who come here illegally. I’m very concerned about the impact of this proposal and the message it sends.

The strain caused by illegal immigration on our social programs is a serious problem. Often, illegal immigrants make the difference — from a cost standpoint — as to the levels of service that can be offered by state and local governments.

The governor of New York is not alone.

Congress just passed legislation eliminating a requirement that applicants for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program prove their citizenship with identity documents, like passports or birth certificates. I was not surprised to learn Sen. Hillary Clinton supports the governor’s plan, or that she supported the SCHIP bill. But I was surprised when local lobbyist El Tinklenberg said in the Times, “Suppose a few children of illegal immigrants manage to slip through the system. Is that a reason for denying millions of U.S. children health care?”

That kind of dismissive attitude is exactly what’s wrong with Congress.

I want real solutions to our nation’s health-care crisis, not political games or policies that open the door to illegal immigrants receiving social services at the expense of Americans in need.

More members of Congress should display the same courage as Michele Bachmann by demanding clean polices that do not reward illegal behavior.