Immigrants protest need of SS number to drive in Pa.

[justashooter 430]

By DAVE DAVIES

Philadelphia Daily News

daviesd@phillynews.com 215-854-2595

Immigration lawyers say that PennDOT's plan to yank licenses from drivers without a valid Social Security number is unfairly penalizing immigrants who got licenses in the past without a Social Security card.

"It's devastating to them," said Philadelphia immigration lawyer Jon Landau. "These people are working, and many have jobs, like cleaning houses, which require them to use their car."

For the past two years, PennDOT has been checking the Social Security numbers in their driver's license files against numbers in Social Security Administration computers.

PennDOT recently sent 2,100 people letters telling them that their licenses are canceled as of June 19 unless they resolve the discrepancy. PennDOT spokeswoman Danielle Klinger said that those were the last of 45,000 such letters sent since 2007.

It's not clear how many of those affected are immigrants, but Landau said that it's big trouble for those who are.

"For many of these people, [a driver's license is] their only concrete identification," Landau said. "They use it to cash checks, to get on a plane, to enter buildings. Without it, they almost become a nonperson."

Many of Landau's clients are undocumented immigrants. Some have submitted applications for green cards. Others are waiting for immigration reform to offer them a path to legal residency.

But Landau said that many have driver's licenses because PennDOT has granted licenses to applicants without Social Security numbers if they had a federal tax-identification number - a number issued by the IRS that also has 10 digits.

"I got a license in 2000," said Gabriel, an immigrant who didn't want to use his real name. Gabriel is a carpenter in Northeast Philadelphia who came to the U.S. from Brazil with his parents 10 years ago. "When I got my license, they asked for my Social Security number, and I said the only thing I have is the tax-ID number, and they said that's OK."

Gabriel said that he was a legal resident with a visitor's visa when he got his license, and that PennDOT renewed it twice without asking any questions.

Klinger said that current PennDOT officials "honestly don't know" whether there was a policy of accepting tax-identification numbers in the past. But she said that since 2003, PennDOT has been checking new applicants for Social Security numbers except for certain limited exceptions.

And it's clear that undocumented workers like Gabriel would not qualify for a license now.

Gabriel said that he uses his car to get to his construction jobs, as well as to take his wife to work, get groceries and go to church.

"I'm afraid now they'll cancel my insurance and registration and tow my car away," he said.

There's a national debate about whether states should issue driver's licenses to undocumented workers, to make sure that their cars are registered and insured.

Landau said that it makes sense for PennDOT not to issue licenses to newly arriving immigrants who lack documentation.

"But it makes no sense at all to reach back and attack the half-million undocumented immigrants living in the Philadelphia area by taking away their driver's licenses," Landau said. "They take care of our elderly and our children, they clean our houses and they keep our restaurants running. When we cripple them, we cripple our economy."

A group of Philadelphia immigration lawyers are meeting tomorrow to consider a response to the PennDOT initiative.

Edited June 19, 2009 by justashooter

[Peikko 1,575]

It effects legal migrants as well. Not all states allow this but there are many, many legal migrants that are left floundering until they get their SS numbers

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Indiana BMV checks your immigration status with USCIS before they will give you anything. You need a SSN to register or title a car here.

It's not even a right for citizens to drive.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

What happens if you have temporary worker with foreign licence who doesn't bother transferring it over (specifically, Canadian on TN-1 operating with Provincial DL--not exactly uncommon)?

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

Immigration lawyers say that PennDOT's plan to yank licenses from drivers without a valid Social Security number is unfairly penalizing immigrants who got licenses in the past without a Social Security card.

"It's devastating to them," said Philadelphia immigration lawyer Jon Landau. "These people are working, and many have jobs, like cleaning houses, which require them to use their car."

hmmmm.

[natty bumppo 297]

And it's clear that undocumented workers like Gabriel would not qualify for a license now.

Gabriel said that he uses his car to get to his construction jobs, as well as to take his wife to work, get groceries and go to church.

"I'm afraid now they'll cancel my insurance and registration and tow my car away," he said.

There's a national debate about whether states should issue driver's licenses to undocumented workers, to make sure that their cars are registered and insured.

he is working illegally ... now he's busted and not by ICE.

guess this means his employer will need to hire another illegal or .. hire someone who is legally able to work in the US.

[Ladylethal 12]

Well, being that when we arrived legally in less than a week our name is in the system to get our SSN I don't see what the problem is really, it would pretty much take longer to get the driver's license anyway, and since the idea is exactly to expose illegal immigration if you're legal AND are working you should have a GC to prove your ID or an EAD.

[Peikko 1,575]

Doesn't affect you, not your problem?

Many spouses arrive for example on the K3 visa. They do not get an immediate SSN. One can apply for a work visa or one can adjust status directly. Both processes take many months (sometimes years as Becca will attest if she is around) leaving the spouse having a double whammy of adjustment to a new country without access to the one form of transport that is universally available, the car. If public transport was better this would not be an issue.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Doesn't affect you, not your problem?

Many spouses arrive for example on the K3 visa. They do not get an immediate SSN. One can apply for a work visa or one can adjust status directly. Both processes take many months (sometimes years as Becca will attest if she is around) leaving the spouse having a double whammy of adjustment to a new country without access to the one form of transport that is universally available, the car. If public transport was better this would not be an issue.

sucks illegal immigration has caused this doesn't it?..sucks even more when-'Doesn't affect me, not my problem' get turned around doesn't it?

[Ladylethal 12]

Doesn't affect you, not your problem?

Not what I meant, I said that legal immigrants usually have easy fast access to the SSN and thus the law shouldn't be a problem as it'd affect illegals only, which is good, and which is the idea.

Now if legal immigrants are having problems getting their SSN then that's something that needs to be fixed in order for the other law to work without glitches.

And btw, I don't see how the K3s wouldn't be given a SSN.

[Peikko 1,575]

K3's are not given an SSN - they either have to apply for EAD or Adjust. Both processes take a minimum of 6 months and it is routinely a lot longer.

[justashooter 430]

my wife had a SS# within a week of entry. you can get one with K1, no problem.

[Peikko 1,575]

Doesn't affect you, not your problem?

Many spouses arrive for example on the K3 visa. They do not get an immediate SSN. One can apply for a work visa or one can adjust status directly. Both processes take many months (sometimes years as Becca will attest if she is around) leaving the spouse having a double whammy of adjustment to a new country without access to the one form of transport that is universally available, the car. If public transport was better this would not be an issue.

sucks illegal immigration has caused this doesn't it?..sucks even more when-'Doesn't affect me, not my problem' get turned around doesn't it?

I have no idea if this is 'caused by' illegal immigration or not. It may well be so but that does not alter the fact that even in the article, the immigrants in question are not all illegals.

Yes, you can get one with a K1 'no problem'. I didn't mention K1's.

[Ladylethal 12]

K3's are not given an SSN - they either have to apply for EAD or Adjust. Both processes take a minimum of 6 months and it is routinely a lot longer.

Then that's definitely an issue that should be fixed so that the "SSN to be able to drive" idea works well.

[Peikko 1,575]

Oh, and sorry if my first post appeared snippy - it was, but wasn't trying to 'target' you as such. I just know how this already affects K3's (and I assume others) in many states. You only have to look in the 'My New Life In America' threads to find loads of postings on the subject "I am miserable because I can't get a driving licence". It's sad for them.