Unlike Mexico, Georgia is Issuing Drivers Licenses to Illegal Immigrants,
by Josh McKoon | Feb 10, 2015
The state of Georgia is issuing driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. After
years of explaining this fact to astonished Georgians all over the state, I
have still not grown accustomed to the shock and outrage they so vocally
express.
“But Georgia is governed by Republicans! – what is this, California?” is
the most common reply that is printable here. They seem to become even angrier
when someone correctly points out that illegal aliens cannot obtain a driver’s
license in Mexico.
For those readers who are wondering – no, this bewildering assault on our
driver’s license integrity is not a result of an act of Congress - or the
Georgia General Assembly.
Despite the efforts of very powerful forces in the state Capitol Georgia
driver’s licenses had been off limits to illegal aliens. That all changed when
President Obama issued his 2012 re-election campaign decree granting an
official assurance of “deferred action” amnesty on deportations to illegals who
said they came here as children. Obama dictated that his deferred action
amnesty “for the children” – known as “DACA” also came with a work permit and a
(genuine) Social Security number. Since then Obama has modified his decree.
Now, “children” has no
age cap – illegals in their 40’s and older are now
eligible for DACA amnesty.
Under current - but pre-Obama - state law those last two documents make an
illegal alien as eligible for a driver’s license in Georgia as a foreign
businessman on a visa, a Legal Permanent Resident immigrant or a Georgia-born
youth on his sixteenth birthday.
As a security measure, and to protect our jobs, I have introduced legislation – Senate Bill 6 -
that will alter state law to end the practice of rewarding any illegal aliens with a
Georgia driver’s license.
It is important to understand that Obama’s mass deferred action on
deportation does not change the fact that the effected illegal aliens are still
illegal aliens. As is noted on the federal immigration website, “deferred
action does not provide legal status.”
Currently, the Obama administration is in the process of greatly expanding
the executive decree to cover even more illegals, this time, it is “for the
parents.” This latest edict is known as “DAPA.” For most Georgians, the
ultimate goal of this progressive incrementalism is not difficult to recognize.
Neither is it a secret that a driver’s license confers much more than the
ability to legally drive and blend in with law-abiding residents. They can also
be used to buy explosives, enter federal buildings, rent a car and obtain voter
registration. Last October, the Associated
Press reported that 145 deferred action recipients were discovered
on North Carolina voting rolls.
In November, in the extremely liberal, but sensible, and safety-conscious
state of Oregon, voters
overwhelmingly rejected a law that granted driver’s licenses to non-DACA
illegal aliens.
When asked his views on my legislation by media, U.S. Senator Johnny
Isakson replied “All you have to look at is what happened in Oregon last week
in the election. I think that’s the sentiment of the American people.” The
growing list of senate co-sponsors of SB 6 and the majority of common sense
Georgians agree with Senator Isakson – and with the government of Mexico.
It should be made clear in answer to the fact-challenged and desperate “SB
6 is unconstitutional” howls from what can only be described as the ”illegal
alien lobby” that has a vested interest in the continued presence of the
illegals: According to the Obama Department of Justice, there is no “right” to
a Georgia driver’s license. A driver’s license is a state-regulated privilege.
That privilege should only be conferred upon residents in Georgia with legal
status.
Governor Deal and indeed all of state government have been focused on
making sure Georgia is the number one destination for job creation. We must all
ask ourselves who we want to take these future jobs and if the General Assembly
should stand by and do nothing to protect our jobs and wages from crushing illegal immigration.
We should also consider the undeniably high monetary cost of processing
perhaps hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens for driver’s licenses.
Georgia should not become another California because of the refusal of the
Obama administration to faithfully execute its constitutional obligation to
enforce our laws. I know the majority of Georgia voters would take a dim view
of the General Assembly continuing to defer to the judgment of President Obama
on rewarding the crime of illegal immigration.
I hope you will ask your own state senator to co-sponsor Senate Bill 6.
Comments
European
countries recognize US drivers’ licenses and allow US citizens to rent cars and
drive using their own US drivers’ licenses.
We need to do that in the US rather than issuing GA drivers’ licenses to
non-citizens.
Norb
Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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