Illegal Immigration News

Today's Illegal Immigration News
Thursday, February 23, 2012

GOP HOPEFULS VOW TO FIGHT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

The four Republican presidential candidates vowed to combat illegal immigration during last night’s primary debate in Mesa, Arizona. Mitt Romney said that if elected he would suspend all federal lawsuits against state laws targeting illegal immigration and that Arizona’s approach should be used as a national model. He also voiced support for building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and mandating E-Verify nationwide. Newt Gingrich was the most outspoken in securing the southern border, pledging to construct a double fence and deploy thousands more Homeland Security Department employees to the border area by the end of his first year in office. Rick Santorum also said he would combat illegal immigration though he was less specific than either Gingrich or Romney. And lastly, Ron Paul called the idea of a border wall a waste of taxpayer money but said the problem of illegal immigrations receiving public benefits must be addressed.


LAPD CHIEF SUPPORTS DRIVER’S LICENSES FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Wednesday that California should issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants though he also says licenses for illegal immigrants should not be identical to standard licenses. Chief Beck believes that the number of hit-and-run accidents would decrease if illegal immigrants were licensed, because they would not have to fear being caught without a license at accidents. He acknowledged that state officials would have to address concerns that licensing illegal immigrants would make it easier for terrorists to go undetected but otherwise would improve road safety and help combat uninsured drivers.

Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, challenged Beck’s notion saying it would “represent a threat to public safety and national security” and that issuing the licenses would be “providing a gold-plated membership card into society” for illegal immigrants. Beck’s support for licensing illegal immigrants comes after he publicly proposed changes to California’s impound laws to prevent the vehicles driven by unlicensed drivers from being impounded if a licensed driver were able to arrive “immediately” or was already in the car.