Va. police can ask about immigration status

[Anonymous]

You have to have proof that you are either a citizen or here legally to get a driver's license. Has everyone forgotten 9/11/01? Legal residents must carry their Green cards with them at all times. If you are legal what is the big deal? Periodically, State police pull over cars and ask driver for license and registration. I don't know what they are looking for and I don't ask because I haven't done anything wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to have proof that you are either a citizen or here legally to get a driver's license. Has everyone forgotten 9/11/01? Legal residents must carry their Green cards with them at all times. If you are legal what is the big deal? Periodically, State police pull over cars and ask driver for license and registration. I don't know what they are looking for and I don't ask because I haven't done anything wrong.

You may not have done anything wrong, but your observations about drivers' licenses are not accurate.

1. Not everyone has drivers' licenses.
2. Drivers' licenses are not proof of residency. Your visa can be expired and your DL is still active.
3. Drivers' licenses are fairly easily obtained by illegals. 18 of 19 9/11 hijackers had them, and at least some of them were fraudulently obtained. This has not changed yet because the states have not gone through and implemented Real ID.
4. Fake driver's licenses are very easy to obtain, although they will not all pass if they are entered into a computer.
5. Currently providing a DL would not save you from being brought in by Arizona police.
6. Many Americans refuse to carry ID. I don't know why, but they do. That is why we have no laws requiring it.

Personally, I think we should have a national ID and be required to carry it. Absent that, we should implement Real ID and require that. But there is no way to rely upon the current DL to solve this verification problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to have proof that you are either a citizen or here legally to get a driver's license. Has everyone forgotten 9/11/01? Legal residents must carry their Green cards with them at all times. If you are legal what is the big deal? Periodically, State police pull over cars and ask driver for license and registration. I don't know what they are looking for and I don't ask because I haven't done anything wrong.

You may not have done anything wrong, but your observations about drivers' licenses are not accurate.

1. Not everyone has drivers' licenses.
2. Drivers' licenses are not proof of residency. Your visa can be expired and your DL is still active.
3. Drivers' licenses are fairly easily obtained by illegals. 18 of 19 9/11 hijackers had them, and at least some of them were fraudulently obtained. This has not changed yet because the states have not gone through and implemented Real ID.
4. Fake driver's licenses are very easy to obtain, although they will not all pass if they are entered into a computer.
5. Currently providing a DL would not save you from being brought in by Arizona police.
6. Many Americans refuse to carry ID. I don't know why, but they do. That is why we have no laws requiring it.

Personally, I think we should have a national ID and be required to carry it. Absent that, we should implement Real ID and require that. But there is no way to rely upon the current DL to solve this verification problem.

I agree with your solution, but currently if your point 5 is true-- then what would the police ask to 'see'? Non green card holding citizens do not normally carry other paperwork than driver or non-driver's ID

What procedure is actually written in the AZ law commencing when a police officer pulls you over?

[Anonymous]

"What procedure is actually written in the AZ law commencing when a police officer pulls you over?"

That's part of the problem. I've read the bill and seen nothing that indicates a formal procedure. Which means it is up to the cop's discretion. And we all know how well that works out in so many cases.

[Anonymous]

Remember, any crackpot can (under SB1014) sue a municipal government for not enforcing it hard enough. That's what scares me too.