Capitol Report New Mexico - Illegal immigrants will still be able to get driver’s licenses in New Mexico. A bill backed by Gov. Susana Martinez and Rep. Andy Nuñez (I-Hatch) – aimed at reversing New Mexico’s policy that allows illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses — got derailed Wednesday night (March 9th) on the floor of the state Senate in a 25-16 vote that came after nearly five hours of debate that frayed nerves and saw senators accuse each other of taking the political low road. All Democrats present except Sen. John Arthur Smith of Deming voted in favor of keeping the state’s policy intact with added enforcement provisions while all the Republican voted against the measure.
Just before midnight, the vote was finally tallied and I spoke to one of its supporters, Sen. Richard Martinez (D-Española), about it. Martinez sponsored the bill in 2003 that established the state’s policy granting licenses to foreign nationals, including illegal immigrants: Here’s Sen. Bill Payne (R-Albuquerque) on why he called the bill in its final version “absurd”: Right after the vote, Gov. Martinez released this statement: 
“It is unfortunate that the Senate Democratic leadership rejected a bi-partisan compromise to repeal the law giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, which had passed the House with a significant bi-partisan majority. The people of New Mexico sent a loud and clear message that they want this dangerous law repealed, but some in the legislature chose to shut out the voices of their constituents in favor of partisan political gamesmanship. I promised the people of New Mexico that I will fight to repeal this law and that fight will continue.”
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| John Arthur Smith |
What happens now? Well, the bill goes back to the House of Representatives, which can establish a conference committee to try to reach some agreement between the Senate and House versions, although most observers think it will die there, given the partisan differences on the issue. And even if it did manage to get through, Gov. Martinez would veto it in the bill’s current form. Read full story here: News New Mexico
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1 comments:
Just a little note: The federal government has no authority over immigration. If you believe they do you have misread or not read the Constitution. The States hold all power over immigration. The fed didn'teven get involved until the end of the 19th century and Immigration was not created until about 1906.
The States should get back in the business of dealing with their own border issues just as the Framers envisioned.
The feds are supposed to make a single uniform rule by which States naturalize new citizens. Yes, that's right the STATES naturalize NOT the fed. Everyone that the fed has naturalized is NOT a true citizen. Again the Constitution never transferred the power of naturalization to the fed. It merely allowed the fed to make a a uniform rule by which the States would do the job.
And we should vote out every one of those folks who voted to give State privileges to outsiders.
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