New driver's license rule upsets some (illegal) immigrants

[natty bumppo 297]

[They ask for a drivers license. As in, a proof that you are eligible to even drive -- because driving is not a right, it's a privilege, as I'm sure someone must have iterated by now. Now, for someone who had a suspended driver's license, don't you think not bringing their license or anything else, if that worked, would have been done all the time? Logic dictates if you don't have your license, or insurance, or proof of owning/possessing/renting the vehicle, and they can't determine by running the plates that it's really you who owns it, you need to be checked out and reminded that this is indeed the law. This happened to a Hispanic friend of mine. He was taken in. This also happened to me, but I have enough information to give the cops on myself that they verified the information (height, weight, eye color, address, etc.) and just lectured me on bringing my license (I forgot my wallet at home, as I was just driving a friend to his place), proof of insurance, etc. because I was too lazy to do it before. Of course, I still got the ticket for a "California stop", and had to go downtown to correct the lack of proof of insurance on my vehicle (to show I had insurance at the time of being ticketed).

All that's been shown here is they just do it differently in certain places. MA must not be as concerned about illegals as we are here in California.

What happens if someone is stopped who has a foreign license and a passport for ID? How does the CA police officer determine whether it is an illegal or someone visiting legally?

i-94 ... visa stamp ...

[luckytxn 2,264]

Srvt. In Texas we also have a lot of illegals. We know we can't arrest them all of course and the thinking is if they start just stop giving them tickets that everyone knows they will not show up for then maybe to start impounding the vehicles that they will maybe get the hint that they need to do something different. The outrage is by the same groups that are trying to help illegals. We all know their arguments.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

What happens if someone is stopped who has a foreign license and a passport for ID? How does the CA police officer determine whether it is an illegal or someone visiting legally?

i-94 ... visa stamp ...

Do the small town police officers do this? Or even the State police? Are they empowered to enforce immigration laws or do they detain until ICE is called in? Where I am it doesn't happen. I don't believe that any police here enforce immigration laws, they must notify ICE if they suspect something.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Srvt. In Texas we also have a lot of illegals. We know we can't arrest them all of course and the thinking is if they start just stop giving them tickets that everyone knows they will not show up for then maybe to start impounding the vehicles that they will maybe get the hint that they need to do something different. The outrage is by the same groups that are trying to help illegals. We all know their arguments.

That sounds like a good way to start stronger enforcement. They may not get deported, but they lose their car. Of course here most of them are driving junk.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Srvt. In Texas we also have a lot of illegals. We know we can't arrest them all of course and the thinking is if they start just stop giving them tickets that everyone knows they will not show up for then maybe to start impounding the vehicles that they will maybe get the hint that they need to do something different. The outrage is by the same groups that are trying to help illegals. We all know their arguments.

That sounds like a good way to start stronger enforcement. They may not get deported, but they lose their car. Of course here most of them are driving junk.

Yes and that junk enables them to work and make money. That is why the illegal Aid agencies are in arms. They are saying the illegals are trying to feed their families and this will hurt them in doing that. I am sure they will not come back and get their junk cars and then go get another one but again we can confiscate them. If anything we will be able to get a lot of junkers off the roads. Eventually the illegals will see the writing on the wall.

[IAMX 3,055]

[They ask for a drivers license. As in, a proof that you are eligible to even drive -- because driving is not a right, it's a privilege, as I'm sure someone must have iterated by now. Now, for someone who had a suspended driver's license, don't you think not bringing their license or anything else, if that worked, would have been done all the time? Logic dictates if you don't have your license, or insurance, or proof of owning/possessing/renting the vehicle, and they can't determine by running the plates that it's really you who owns it, you need to be checked out and reminded that this is indeed the law. This happened to a Hispanic friend of mine. He was taken in. This also happened to me, but I have enough information to give the cops on myself that they verified the information (height, weight, eye color, address, etc.) and just lectured me on bringing my license (I forgot my wallet at home, as I was just driving a friend to his place), proof of insurance, etc. because I was too lazy to do it before. Of course, I still got the ticket for a "California stop", and had to go downtown to correct the lack of proof of insurance on my vehicle (to show I had insurance at the time of being ticketed).

All that's been shown here is they just do it differently in certain places. MA must not be as concerned about illegals as we are here in California.

What happens if someone is stopped who has a foreign license and a passport for ID? How does the CA police officer determine whether it is an illegal or someone visiting legally?

The officer uses the 911 dispatcher for such information. They are the ones with access to FBI/NCIC/ICE (or at least, contact for the latter).

Edit: For PC's sake, should call them "public safety" dispatchers. Technically they do a lot more than answer 911 calls.

Edited October 11, 2008 by SRVT

[spookyturtle 9,466]

The officer uses the 911 dispatcher for such information. They are the ones with access to FBI/NCIC/ICE (or at least, contact for the latter).

Edit: For PC's sake, should call them "public safety" dispatchers. Technically they do a lot more than answer 911 calls.

Personally I find it hard to believe that any police department in any town in the US can acess a USCIS system and get arrival and visa information for everyone who has entered the US legally. Again, where I am, the police can detain somone and contact ICE, but doing it instantly at roadside, no way. I am not arguing with you, I just don't think that things actually work the way we like to think they do.

[luckytxn 2,264]

The officer uses the 911 dispatcher for such information. They are the ones with access to FBI/NCIC/ICE (or at least, contact for the latter).

Edit: For PC's sake, should call them "public safety" dispatchers. Technically they do a lot more than answer 911 calls.

Personally I find it hard to believe that any police department in any town in the US can acess a USCIS system and get arrival and visa information for everyone who has entered the US legally. Again, where I am, the police can detain somone and contact ICE, but doing it instantly at roadside, no way. I am not arguing with you, I just don't think that things actually work the way we like to think they do.

Welcome to the world wide web.

[IAMX 3,055]

The officer uses the 911 dispatcher for such information. They are the ones with access to FBI/NCIC/ICE (or at least, contact for the latter).

Edit: For PC's sake, should call them "public safety" dispatchers. Technically they do a lot more than answer 911 calls.

Personally I find it hard to believe that any police department in any town in the US can acess a USCIS system and get arrival and visa information for everyone who has entered the US legally. Again, where I am, the police can detain somone and contact ICE, but doing it instantly at roadside, no way. I am not arguing with you, I just don't think that things actually work the way we like to think they do.

I haven't personally experienced how they contact ICE, or if they have access themselves by now (recently the government has been clumping different intelligence departments together so it's a bit chaotic right now -- I do know they are getting increased amount of access), as noted in the bold, but police can and should detain someone they cannot get any information on, such as who's car it is and who is driving the car. It makes no sense whatsoever just to slap a fine on someone they cannot get information on and send them on their way again.

[MariaBonita 11]

Gooood Morning!

Ahhh, this cup of coffee is so good!

Edited October 11, 2008 by MariaBonita

[MariaBonita 11]

Oops, wrong thread!

Sorry, but couldn't delete that post.

[Niels Bohr 72]

f##k the federal id card...i am tired of the american gov't under bush admin... become more involved in our daily lives...

word almaty.. fukc the man and their tries of becoming a totalitarian regime..

yeah..what is next by them..nudist hippies patrols...

ROFLMAO!!!

[mawilson 2,133]

They are doing it in England too:

Clampdown on unlicensed drivers

Seized vehicles can be destroyed

after 14 days

A clampdown on unlicensed vehicles and drivers who are on the road without a valid

insurance begins this week. From Thursday, across Hertfordshire, the latest technology

will be used by police traffic team to check vehicles.

Police said they would use laws giving them powers to seize any vehicles computers

detected being driven without insurance or an appropriate licence.

Since the laws were introduced 7,500 vehicles have been seized in the county and about

half have been destroyed.

Key to the figures is the new automatic number plate recognition system, which reads

vehicle registrations and immediately compares it with the police national computer,

road tax and insurance records.

Vehicles destroyed

Officers know straight away if a vehicle is being driven illegally.

Seized vehicles are taken to a secure compound and the driver is given seven working

days to prove they have the necessary insurance or hold an appropriate licence.

The owner will also have to pay the £105 recovery charge and the additional £12 a day

storage charge. After 14 days the vehicle can then be destroyed under the legislation.

Insp Nigel Eastaugh said: "We want to send out a clear message to motorists: If you are

driving in Hertfordshire without insurance, you will be identified and could face having

your vehicle destroyed.

"We will not take any excuses or make any exceptions - if you don't obey the law we'll

make sure that you, not the law abiding motorist, pay the price."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...rts/6502067.stm

[panamania79 2]

That is sick what they are doing.. I can't believe they are changing the laws to make the "illegals" as they call em even more "illegal"! Ok so people are here without documentation.. what good is it going to do forcing people to drive without a license and insurance? I'd love to know which little ####### dwellin right wing butt monkey thought up this masterpiece of "legislation" that got sneaked in? That's democracy for you, right wing style... they sicken me all of them!

Denying licenses to illegal immigrants puts public safety at risk and makes roads unsafe, I'll give you that.

Not if they are deported.

It will take years to catch and deport them - all of them. In the meantime, American lives will be at risk.

It will,because they know all the tricks in the book.

There always will be new tricks to learn. We can look at it like the Audobahn "speed recommendation."

Go ahead and speed, but if you get caught causing an accident (in this case if you get carded) then you're pretty much screwed. Nothing really brand new about that. Illinois State Police have been doing it for several years.

I know.You must not know many illegals,do you ? I kid you not when I say they know ALL the tricks.

They sure do know all the tricks. Most people would be dumfounded if they knew what really goes on. There are border patrol agents who work with coyotes to let illegals enter, "renting" or real passports and greencards, purchasing of real greencards, complete false identtities etc. The fake ss# is a piece of cake. Most employers don't check. And the IRS doesn't care if an illegal is working if they pay their taxes. They don't exchange information with USCIS. Where there's a dollar to be made, there is way to do it.

This goes on every day and only a fraction of it ever makes the news.

[Karaoke 0]

I'd like to comment on the Texas provision.

I think it is discriminatory to give legal residents a different-looking driver license, marked "TEMPORARY VISITOR" especially when you are a legal PERMANENT resident! However I do agree with tying the issue of a driver license to legal rights to reside here.

I think what they could do is to issue a driver license that has the same expiration as your legal rights to stay, but without marking that in a different spot or with the stupid "TEMPORARY VISITOR" notation.. Also, the shape of the driver license should be the same. My driver license has the full legal validity, but since I hadn't received my green card yet when I got it, my temporary visitor status expires 1 year from my entry with IR-1 visa..