House Republicans: Punishing Immigrants Trumps Highway Safety
Utah law currently allows illegal immigrants to drive legally if they obtain a special driving permit. The permit is not allowed to be used as ID it is just a measure meant to ensure that the population most likely to drive without insurance in our state has incentives to get insured and drive safely and legally.
Republicans on the House Law Enforcement Committee, in blatant disregard for public safety on our highways, approved HB239, a bill that would revoke driving permits for illegal immigrants. They claim that they fear that the permits will be used as ID (which would be against the law and also very unlikely since each permit has a bold announcement stamped across the front of it stating that it can’t be used as ID).
Good policy creates incentives for those being regulated to behave in a way that benefits society. How does HB239 benefit society? Sure it punishes illegal immigrants who are breaking the law by being here (what a stupid law by the way) but it makes drivers in our state less safe and will inevitably result in an increase in auto insurance premiums.
Should Utahns really be so afraid of illegal immigrants that we’re willing to be less safe and less wealthy? Why?
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Blatant racism. Mitt lost Florida for his anti immigrant stance and will lose CA for the same reason. Whoever runs against Donnelson needs to be supported and we should marshall the Brown community to vote against these bigots.
Comment by WP — February 1, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
I agree that someone less ignorant needs to run against those who support this bill. I’m hesitant to call these jokers racists but it is clear that they definitely are completely clueless.
Comment by Jeremy Manning — February 1, 2008 @ 3:39 pm
Rep. Donnelson must have not studied the existing law before sponsored HB239. Beside the fact that the cards cannot be used as ID, the main reason for issuing the cards was to incentivize them to get insurance. As DesNews wrote “The cards were created in 2005, as a compromise that allowed undocumented drivers to get insurance without being able to hold a driver’s license.”
They’re here, but we won’t get them to either leave OR become legal just by taking away a driving card.
We’ll make them more illegal and everyone less safe.
Jeremy, you’re right on on this one.
Comment by Frank Staheli — February 1, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
Has anyone asked Rep. Donnelson about this. I have met him a few times and he has always seemed like a reasonable guy.
Comment by Daniel — February 2, 2008 @ 10:00 am
[…] actions I’ve mentioned (hb 237 and Greg Curtis’ Oxbow scheme), but also HB 239, which Jeremy aptly reviewed. Technically all of these actions are targeted at illegal rather than any immigrants. But in […]
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