Poll shows 72% oppose licensing illegal immigrants

Nearly one month after Governor Eliot Spitzer announced his intention to offer illegal immigrants the right to apply for driver’s licenses, the debate about the merits of the program continues to dominate the headlines on a daily basis.
On Monday, October 15, State Senate Republicans questioned Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner David Swarts for nearly four hours grilling him about the proposal while arguing that it would cause an increased terror threat.
However, Swarts continued to echo Spitzer’s sentiments that the policy would make the streets safer as well as decrease auto insurance rates throughout the state.
While leaders on both sides of the political aisle continue to trade barbs over the plan, 72 percent of New Yorkers oppose Governor Spitzer’s plan, according to a Siena (College) Research Institute poll of registered voters released on the same day Swarts testified.
“Nearly three-quarters of voters - including 59 percent of Democrats - oppose the Governor’s plan to give driver’s licenses to undocumented aliens,” said Steven Greenberg, a spokesperson for the Siena New York poll. “The voters’ message to the governor is clear: ‘No, no, no.’ Opposition to the Spitzer proposal is intense, with 41 percent strongly opposing it and only 7 percent strongly supporting it.”
Meanwhile, Spitzer did not appear to be backing away from his proposal calling it a practical approach to dealing with those who are already in the state illegally.
“We cannot ignore the reality that when hundreds of thousands of people do not have a driver’s license, it puts everyone in danger, and we can’t ignore the reality that when hundreds of thousands of people live in the shadows it makes our country less safe and law enforcement’s job much harder,” Spitzer said in a statement.
Queens Assemblymember Jose Peralta, who represents parts of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona where many illegal immigrants currently reside, said that 15-20 people approach him per day and tell him they are excited about potentially applying for a driver’s license.
“Most of the individuals asking for these want them just for the basic necessities - to go to work, take their kids to school or to the hospital,” Peralta said. “They are here to live the American dream, to help America not hurt America.”
Peralta also said that measure will actually increase security, so the government will know who is living and working in the state.
“In reality, this is just a common sense idea that will allow hundreds of thousands of people to drive safely on the streets,” he said. “These individuals will have to retake their tests, get auto insurance and have a valid form of identification.”