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REAL ID Act: Result of Anti-Immigrant Political Grand Standing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, Oct 30, 2007Washington, DC –On October 27, 2007 New York’s Governor, Elliot Spitzer, endorsed the REAL ID Act of 2005. The National Governor’s Association, National Conference of State Legislators, and American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators concluded in September of 2006 that such legislation would cost more than $11 billion to implement, will have a major impact on public services, and impose unrealistic burdens on states to comply.
Statement by the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM):
“The
Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), a diverse national coalition
of community organizations, call on Governor Spitzer to reverse his
decision to comply with the mandates of the REAL ID Act. Governor
Spitzer has traded away a sound, practical driver’s license policy that
represented a win for all New Yorkers in exchange for a politically
motivated privacy and civil liberties disaster.”
“The debate over the REAL ID Act was an embarrassing display of unrealistic and unfunded requirements being placed on states without regard for privacy, civil liberties or basic technological limitations. Seventeen states have passed legislation opposing the REAL ID Act but only four states have announced that they will implement the REAL ID Act.”
“Governor Spitzer’s initial announcement
five weeks ago that New York State would follow a ‘One Driver’s License
for All’ policy represented a positive vision of inclusion, and a
practical approach to ensuring the public safety of all New Yorkers.
But by backsliding on driver’s licenses by implementing the REAL ID
Act, Spitzer will create a multi-tiered system that will render
undocumented immigrants who hold New York State drivers’ licenses
vulnerable to discrimination and harassment.”
“Finally,
Governor Spitzer’s REAL ID announcement is a colossal flip-flop. It
puts into question his convictions and his integrity as a leader. Five
weeks ago Governor Spitzer took a pragmatic and farsighted stand on the
inclusion of immigrants into New York society. Today New York faces
the prospect of a new bureaucratic requirement creating new financial,
privacy and civil liberties concerns for all New Yorkers.”
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Since 1968, The Center for Community Change has strengthened the leadership, voice and power of low-income communities nationwide to confront the vital issues of today and build the social movements of tomorrow. FIRM (Fair Immigration Reform Movement) is the uniting voice of the grassroots movement nationwide advocating for comprehensive immigration reform and the civil rights of immigrants.Files available for download:
