SANTA FE, N.M., Jan. 17 (UPI) -- New Mexican Gov. Susana Martinez says she wants the state Legislature to rescind a 2003 law that lets foreign nationals obtain driver's licenses.
One of Martinez' campaign pledges was to get rid of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, but so far she hasn't found anyone to carry such a bill through the state Legislature, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
"Governor Martinez has two goals on this issue," her spokesman Scott Darnell said. "First, she wants to stop the practice of issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, and second, she supports revoking the licenses of those illegal immigrants who have already received them."
Nearly 83,000 immigrants hold driver's licenses in New Mexico, and the lawmaker who sponsored the 2003 law allowing them to do so said revoking it is wrong.
"It would be monumental from a public-safety perspective, from a humanitarian perspective, from an economic perspective," said Rep. Miguel Garcia, the Albuquerque Democrat who sponsored the law.
Rep. Bill Rhem, R-Albuquerque, said he plans to introduce a bill that would give immigrants with licenses 5 months to turn them in for a driving permit, which would not be accepted as a form of identification, as it is now.
"We cannot go ahead as a state and condone illegal immigration," Rehm said. "We can't do it."
After January 2012, all current licenses for foreign nationals would be canceled under his bill. It is likely to be one of several dealing with the issue during the 60-day session that begins Tuesday, the report said.
