Governor: Illegal immigrants shouldn’t get driver’s licenses
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The governor made the announcement based on his concerns for personal safety in the face of the worldwide battle against terrorism.
“Protecting Tennesseans is my highest priority,” Bredesen said. “When it became clear to me the federal government was not going to provide some uniformity on this issue as I had hoped, I felt it was necessary to take a strong stand to ensure we’re providing the highest level of safety to our citizens, both in homeland security and in public safety.”
While not giving illegal immigrants driver’s licenses, Bredesen does favor giving them driving certificates. The driving certificates have “Not valid for I.D.” plainly marked.
This will allow people in the U.S. illegally to at least learn the rules of the road – a concern of the Department of Safety – with the hope such a practice will reduce traffic accidents. But it would not give illegal immigrants the legitimate form of identification that comes with a driver’s license. They couldn’t board commercial airplanes or rent cars.
Tennessee is one of 10 states that allows illegal aliens to get driver’s licenses. North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Utah, Montana, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii are the others.
“I think the governor is taking the most logical course to deal with this,” said state Rep. Charles Curtiss. “These people are here and we have to learn to deal with them. It’s not like we have the ability to deport them. What are we going to do, send them to Alabama?”
Curtiss said dealing with illegal immigrants is a federal problem, but one which he says is not a high priority. With that in mind, Curtiss had mentioned in the past about implementing a driver’s license for illegal aliens that was an entirely different color. He says the governor’s current option is just as good.
Individuals eligible for a new certificate of driving would include:
• People who have temporary, legal documents from the U.S. government (work visa, educational visas, etc.). The driving certificate would expire at the same time as their temporary, legal documents expire.
• People who do not meet the eligibility requirement for a license, but can provide proof of identity and residence in Tennessee. Certificates issued to these persons would be valid for only one year.
The new driver’s license restriction, if it becomes law, would take effect immediately. The new certificates would be issued after July 1.
“We have closed the door on terrorists and other individuals who try to fraudulently obtain legal identification in our state,” said Major General Jerry Humble, director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security. “Homeland Security is serious business in Tennessee, and this legislation is an important component of our coordinated plan.”