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February 4, 2011 in City
Washington driver’s license proposal called racist, anti-immigrant
OLYMPIA – A legislative hearing over a proposal to make driver’s license applicants give the state a Social Security number and a verifiable residence was abruptly halted Thursday after some members of the audience called the plan racist and anti-immigrant.
Senate Transportation Chairwoman Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, ended the hearing when several people in the audience tried to shout her down over the purpose of Senate Bill 5407.
The panel had listened to a full hour of testimony, with some witnesses saying the bill would make the state safer by preventing terrorists from obtaining licenses and others who said it would make the state less safe because undocumented immigrants would still drive, but without licenses or insurance.
Haugen insisted several times the bill wasn’t about immigration: “To work in this country, you have to have a Social Security Number. We’re just asking for a Social Security number.”
When she asked Department of Licensing staff to explain how the bill would work, they said applicants would be asked for the number, as they are now. If there’s any question about residence, licensing staff must “establish whether they are lawfully present” in the state.
“So it is about immigration,” a member of the audience said loudly.
“You want to target brown people and the working poor,” said another, even louder.
Haugen told legislative security to remove those two people, which prompted other people to join in that the bill was targeting immigrants. She banged the gavel and adjourned the committee without getting the full answer from licensing staff or hearing testimony on three other bills.
The panel will return to the issue later, she said.
Supermajority for taxes unconstitutional, judge rules 
DHF on February 04 at 6:50 a.m.
There is nothing racist or anti immigrant to ask for proper doccumentation to get a driver’s license. Look at the prison system ,it is loaded with illegals. We are opening the door for another attack and with the way things are going on in the world today it is just a matter of time. I dont know how any citizen could think that this is not a good idea.
greyhound2 on February 04 at 7:40 a.m.
The problem with the racist card is that it is so overused and worn out and applies to just about anything somebody doesn’t like. The fact is that illegal aliens are in violation of US immigrantion laws and need to be deported.
DickAdams on February 04 at 7:41 a.m.
If the state had SS numbers you have to know, a glitch, as they call it, would expose them to the hackers. It happens all too often now.
hawken on February 04 at 8:34 a.m.
Ditto greyhound2
Squid on February 04 at 8:56 a.m.
How can illegals possibly pass the written test, if they can’t read English? Do they get a test in Spanish? Maybe it’s safer if they only let people who speak English drive, since every business sign, street marker, and road sign is in English.
I bid against Russians and Mexicans, who work for cash all the time, in my business. In this economy, I have had to match their rates, but I have to pay taxes on it, and they don’t. How do you compete with that? Illegal is illegal. Why would you want to make it easier for them to put legal citizens out of business, or take their jobs? Why would you want them competing with legal and legitimate citizens, who pay for the roads they are driving on?
Why should I take a pay cut all the time when the cost of living keeps going up? I guess if you can’t beat em, join em. Should I just start hiring illegals and lay off my legal employees, who pay taxes? My employees incomes are getting real close to my income, and I have to work a lot more hours than they do.
cdspokesreader on February 04 at 10:45 a.m.
I really don’t understand the problem with requiring a social security number or a green card/work visa. My great-grandparents immigrated to this country 150 years ago and they had to adapt to their new country and the laws there to get jobs. Our country is mostly made up of children of immigrants. However, once you’re here and want to be a part of our country, you should have to follow the same rules that everyone else does. I had to give my id and show proof of residence to get my driver’s license.
Cheezwhiz on February 04 at 11:07 a.m.
Don’t they always say that driving is a privilege, and not a right? Why do illegals get this privilege when the only thing the contribute to our country is raising the unemployment rate and using our tax money?
Thoreau on February 04 at 12:38 p.m.
Squid~ The last time I was in to renew my license, the clerk asked a Spanish-speaker, in Spanish, if he wanted to take the written test in Spanish. So, yes - they can take the test in Spanish.
cdspokesreader on February 04 at 1:02 p.m.
Thoreau & Squid…
There is a state law that mandate public offices in the state to offer information in foreign languages and pay for an interpreter if needed. I have nothing against immigrants who want to come to this country for a better life. And know they need to be able to get jobs here, but I would never think of moving to a foreign country and expect everyone to have to use English or pay for my medical care and offer services like we do - unless I was some kind of refugee. I think we have gone a little overboard in offering so much to non-English speaking people in this country. Instead of changing our services across the board to all languages, can’t we come up with a transitional service to help these people learn our customs and language?
MrNatural on February 04 at 2:25 p.m.
Hmmm?…I can understand why citizenship is not necessary to obtain a drivers license but still I would think a social security number, birth certificate or visa would be necessary to ensure the person is who they say they are…and even being a flaming liberal I would prefer to see drivers licenses only go to legal immigrants…now if I’m wrong someone please explain why.
wildwulf on February 04 at 4:07 p.m.
My great grandparents came over from Germany and they either learned enough english to do buisiness or had someone that could do it for them…they did not get paid translaters or anything else…and they learned to abide by the laws set forth in this country. I have a problem with pressing 1 for english. If you are here illegaly then you have NO RIGHTS becouse illegal is illegal what part of that do our politictions not understand. If you dont have the documents needed to prove who you are then you dont it. If you cant read english how do you know street names and how can you read the signs and know what they say?
Orphan on February 04 at 5:56 p.m.
Mr Natural you are correct, otherwise the state is giving out perfectly good ID to possable terrorists.
jillocity on February 07 at 10:20 a.m.
The problem with laws like this is that once they are done they are not easily undone, as witness the shouting down of the Chairwoman and the premature closing of the meeting. Illegal is illegal, in my book and in the [purported] eyes of the law…but La Raza and others of its ilk will not easily bow down to obeying the law.
stvnbrwn54 on February 08 at 8:03 a.m.
Just reading the comments here speaks volumes about what’s wrong with this country. The vast majority of real Americans embrace the fact people need to carry evidence of citizenship to fully partake of the American experience…just like every other nation on earth.
Every time I see or read about these fools screaming race to stop the discussion I pray some elected official will actually take them on…as opposed to running for the nearest place to hide. Why not say something like yes, it “is” about “Brown People” sir/madam…”Brown People” who break the law…just like “White People” who break the law…or “Green People”, or…
Too often, because we’ve been conditioned to give way by our politicians and media, we permit “Brown People” to impose their will…simply by shouting or stomping feet.
westerly on March 27 at 6:47 p.m.
Basicly the libs want hundreds of thousands of more illegal alien, foreign scum here with free drivers lic!