Nov 8, 2007 5:07 pm US/Central
Coleman Takes Aim At NY On Driver's Licenses
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
Sen. Norm Coleman took a shot at his native New York Thursday, introducing a resolution condemning states that issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
The plan to do so by New York's Democratic governor, Eliot Spitzer, has led to a national debate on the issue. Coleman, R-Minn., weighed in with a resolution along with 15 co-sponsors, all Republicans -- including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
"When states engage in this practice, we are telling illegal immigrants that you can live here with impunity," said Coleman, who was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. "At the core, this is a national security issue. Following the attacks of 9/11, we made a promise to the American people to make this country safer."
"At a time when we're trying to fix the nation's immigration system, it becomes difficult to do that if it appears that there simply isn't a basic respect for law," he added.
Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson responded: "Rather than issuing partisan statements of condemnation, those in Congress' time would be more productively spent tackling the failed national immigration policy that has resulted in the states having to deal with the security implications of millions of undocumented immigrants."
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was criticized for hedging at a recent debate on whether she supported Spitzer's plan. Her aides say she generally supports the idea in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform.
This week, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said that he and Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, would introduce legislation barring states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Coleman's spokesman, LeRoy Coleman, said that the senator is considering legislative proposals that would ban states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
