Is This California's Future?
As I've noted earlier, New York is proving to be a fascinating laboratory for the experiment of granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants -- and what might happen should California follow suit. For starters, the decision created some nasty political divisions. But now, there's an even more interesting development -- counties that refuse to play along. The New York Post reports:
Two county clerks, including a Democrat appointed by Gov. Spitzer, warned yesterday that under the governor's new plan to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, they intend to report any such aliens to law enforcement for deportation.Erie County Clerk Kathleen Hochul, who was appointed by Spitzer in April, and Niagara County Clerk Wayne Jagow, a Republican, said they have been in discussions with their local police departments and district attorneys to craft the new policy they believe will deter illegal immigrants from even applying for licenses.
Because they are agents of the state Department of Motor Vehicles, the two said they felt uncomfortable joining 20 of their county clerk colleagues in ignoring the Spitzer administration's new policy allowing illegal aliens to obtain drivers' licenses.
"But how can I look the other way when there are people coming in who are illegal?" Jagow said in explaining the plan to turn illegal aliens in.
Said Hochul: "I took an oath of office to uphold both state and federal law. I keep that oath on my desk and look at it every day."
Talk about unintended consequences! Procedurally and jurisdictionally, things are set up differently here in California, so I'm doubtful DMV officials could mount the same protests. But I don't doubt that someone somewhere would try. The result might just be to draw a sharper distinction between "sanctuary" cities (or counties) and those that crack down on illegal immigrants, concentrating even more of the illegal population into a few geographical areas (like Los Angeles).
Let's keep our eyes on New York. We could be watching our future.
I think its a wonderful idea to issue drivers licenses to the illegals. As soon as they apply,arrest and deport them. There is a right way to immigrate to this country.Both of my grand=parents did,and did it the right way. I am for immigration,however,big businesses need for cheap labor,and company farms,needing harvest labor,does not justify,not only turning a blind eye to illegals,for company profit,but the blatent,disregard for American law,and commiting criminal acts.Any and all illegals,including 'ANCHOR BABIES,should when caught, be deported. The SOCIAL drain on resources,of all of the states services,is now in the BILLIONS yearly! Our beloved America will not survive this growing criminal use of its citizens social services. CITIZENS STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!!