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| Susana Martinez Gov., NM |
Thursday, the New Mexico
Legislature ended its 2012 session, leaving intact the 2003 state law
that allows driver’s licenses to be issued to individuals regardless of
immigration status. This marks the third unsuccessful attempt by Republican Governor Susana Martinez to repeal the state’s driver’s license law, HB103,
the bill backed by Martinez, passed the House earlier this month but
failed to make it through the Senate. An alternative Senate bill, SB235,
which would have tightened residency requirements but not repealed the
2003 law, passed the Senate. Governor Martinez, however, vowed to veto
that Senate bill. New Mexico and Washington are the only states that
issue driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status (Utah issues a
driving certificate that can’t be used for identification).
Republican
Governor Susana Martinez has repeatedly tried (and failed) to repeal
the state’s nearly decade old driver’s license law. Last year, a state
district judge halted on
constitutional grounds Gov. Martinez’s costly campaign to “certify” the
driver’s licenses of foreign nationals. A spokesman for Gov. Martinez claims the
current law “leads to fraud, human trafficking, organized crime and
significant security concerns.” Supporters of the law, however, say the
current policy aids cooperation between immigrant communities and local
police as well as reduces the number of unlicensed drivers.
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