Utah Bills Set Requirements for Undocumented Immigrants to Drive
/ Undocumented immigrants wanting a driver's license would have to
provide thumbprints, pay a monthly fee and attend English and U.S.
government classes under two bills in the Utah House. House Bills 130
and 316, sponsored by Rep. Aaron Tilton, R-Springville, are among five
pieces of legislation proposed to limit or ban undocumented immigrants
from obtaining a driver license. An audit released earlier this
week said Utah has issued more than 58,000 driver licenses and 37,000
personal identification cards to people illegal immigrants. Some
legislators worry undocumented immigrants have been using the state's
driver licenses to register to vote and to travel on airplanes.
Tilton's bills would have an undocumented immigrant database created
and maintained by a private company. The drivers' licenses issued to
undocumented immigrants could be used only for driving -- not for
identification. To maintain that license, the person would have to pay
a $25 to $50 monthly fee and take a monthly class. Tilton said
the fees would offset the costs for state-provided education and health
care. Dani Eyer of the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah said the
proposals are counter to the Bill of Rights, "which applies to every
person in the United States, not every citizen." She said the
bills would violate the immigrants' privacy by constituting "private
surveillance for the government for profit." The bipartisan Utah
Hispanic Legislative Task Force won't support Tilton's legislation,
co-chairwoman Luz Robles said. She said the task force had
concerns about oversight and the fees seem excessive. The Task Force
did decide Thursday to "reluctantly support" another driver's license
bill, SB227, introduced Wednesday by Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo.
That bill would repeal Utah's law allowing illegal immigrants to get
drivers' licenses, and would require them to instead obtain a driving
card that could not be used for any identification purposes. [more] and [more]
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