Eliot Spitzer drivers license controversy

On September 21, 2007, Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer issued an executive order directing that state offices allow illegal aliens to be issued driver's licenses effective December 2007. The measure was introduced three times. Once, as an executive order that was later withdrawn, then revamped as a legislative bill, which was defeated in the New York State Senate, and finally introduced as an administrative measure through the Department of Motor Vehicles and withdrawn again after heavy public and political opposition.

Applicants for driver's licenses would not be required to prove legal immigration status and would be allowed to present a foreign passport as identification. At that point, eight other states did not require individuals to prove their legal immigration status when applying for a driver's licenses. Spitzer said that the new policy would help all New Yorkers by improving traffic safety, because unlicensed drivers are nearly five times as likely to be in fatal car crashes compared to licensed drivers. Spitzer also claimed that the policy would effectively allow illegal immigrants to buy auto insurance, which would reduce the number of uninsured drivers in the state and therefore decrease insurance premiums for all New Yorkers by an estimated $120 million.

After meeting with the Department of Homeland Security in October 2007, Spitzer agreed that licenses issued to illegal aliens would look different from other licenses and that the new licenses would not allow access to airplanes and federal buildings.

Applicants for driver's licenses would not be required to prove legal immigration status and would be allowed to present a foreign passport as identification. After meeting with the Department of Homeland Security in October 2007, Spitzer altered the plan so that licenses issued to illegal aliens would look different from other licenses and that the new licenses would not allow access to airplanes and federal buildings.

The Spitzer proposal was met with massive criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Critics charged that the plan would open the door for illegal aliens to obtain official identification and compromise security improvements made since September 11, 2001. His critics included Democratic presidential candidate Senator Christopher Dodd, who denounced the proposal at a debate held on October 30. After a day of equivocation following the debate, Senator Hillary Clinton issued a prepared statement that endorsed the plan. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg opposed the executive order, calling it "inappropriate." Minority leader of the State Assembly, James Tedisco, promised a lawsuit to block the proposal.

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Wikipedia