House says no more immigrant licenses

After two days and 13 hours of deliberation, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed a bill that would prevent some undocumented residents from obtaining driver’s licenses.

HB 78 passed 42-28 on Friday and is now in the Senate’s hands.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Andy Nuñez (I-Hatch), said undocumented residents could still get driver’s licenses if they had a spouse in the country legally. He said international students would be able to obtain New Mexico driver’s licenses under the measure, but only for the period of time that they are in the states legally.

“We took care of the human aspects of it,” he said. “It’s just the ones that are coming here from all over the world that are breaking the laws. They get their license then go to Texas or some place, and then we lose track of them. That’s just a big abuse.”

Under the measure, foreign nationals applying for a driving permit or driver’s license would have to present their Social Security number, valid passport number, Visa number, and any other arrival-departure record issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

On Friday morning, Nuñez introduced a floor substitute, which
allows a bill to bypass committee and go straight to debate on the floor. It was debated and voted on at about 6:30 p.m.

In committee hearings, dozens of families, business owners and law enforcement officials testified about the merits of having all drivers in New Mexico licensed, said Maria Cristina Lopez, a founding board member of Somos Un Pueblo Unido, a statewide immigrant rights organization. She said thousands attended hearings, signed petitions, e-mailed legislators or participated in lobbying activities at the Round House to oppose the bill.

“It’s a dangerous precedent and inexcusable that House members would shut New Mexicans out from the legislative process by blasting Rep. Nuñez’s bill to the floor and passing a substitute bill without any hearings or public input,” she said. “Legislators’ refusal to even consider a ‘compromise’ bill that attempted to address specific concerns about fraud shows that this debate isn’t about sound public policy. It’s about politics and re-election campaigns.”

When it comes to public safety, Lopez said the bill is a step in the wrong direction. In 2003, the organization spearheaded a campaign to allow qualified immigrant drivers to register their vehicles and obtain licenses and insurance.

Gov. Susana Martinez issued a statement Friday applauding the House’s passage of the bill.

“Today, the will of the people of New Mexico was heard in the House of Representatives,” she said. “Despite numerous procedural schemes to defend the status quo, a broad coalition of Republicans, Democrats and the House’s lone Independent came together to stand with an overwhelming majority of New Mexicans who want to see the dangerous practice of issuing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants overturned.”

Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Bernalillo), who voted against the measure, said H.B. 78 was a radical agenda push by the Republican Party.
“There are some of us who want to stand on the principle of the issue of the bill and that something needs to be done,” she said. “But the bill that we have before us is not the solution. What I saw with this bill is a rhetoric of a campaign strategy, and it is a political aspect rather than solving a problem for the state of New Mexico.”