Legal Commentary

N. Mexico Senate Rejects Bill Preventing Undocumented From Driving

By Jeralyn

Susana Martinez, New Mexico's new Republican Governor and a former prosecutor, campaigned on a tough-on-immigration platform.

With her support, including ads paid from leftover campaign funds, a bill to repeal a law allowing undocumented residents to get driver's licenses passed the state house.

Today, the New Mexico Senate has rejected the bill.

Some law enforcement groups opposed the repeal, saying it would result in tens of thousands of unlicensed and uninsured drivers.

Immigrant rights groups are also happy with the bill's defeat:

"This goes to show that you come in with a radical, extremist agenda, you're going to get push-back because New Mexico is not a radical extremist state," said Marcela Diaz, head of immigrants rights group Somos un Pueblo Unido.

[More...]

As to how the law currently works:

Under current law, license applicants must show proof of identity, such as a passport, birth certificate or license from another state. They also must present two proofs of residency.

Some facts on the topic here.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 19, 2011 (boomark / email).