Their view: Hispanos Unidos support driver’s license repeal

Victor Contreras, chairman of political committee of Hispanos Unidos, submitted this view repealing driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in New Mexico. Hispanos Unidos is a non-partisan political action committee dedicated to election reform and fighting corruption in New Mexico.

As a country of rule by law, we need to live by the rules of our nation and issuing legal identification to undocumented immigrants no longer makes sense. Instead of reducing uninsured motorists, New Mexico has become a beacon for those seeking to get legal identification to further their illegal goals.

As Lt. Gov. John Sanchez said recently: “This is not a Democrat versus Republican issue, it is not an issue based on race. Even though I am a proud American first and foremost, I am Hispanic, and make no mistake about it: It has nothing to do with race, it has to do with following the law.”

Hispanos Unidos believes the issue of driver’s licenses is not a partisan or racial issue. It is simply a legal national security issue.

The present drivers’ license system is an issue of national security — clean, pure and simple. I also strongly believe that to have integrity in our voting system, the driver license law for foreign nationals must be repealed. Many Hispanics are law-abiding, God-fearing patriots who love this country. To say a repeal of this flawed law is “anti-Hispanic” is a slap on the face to those honest, hard-working people.

In the past, the idea of facilitating drivers’ licenses to foreigners was based on public safety and insurance coverage concerns. Neither was ever true. Safety levels remain the same, and we still have the highest rate of uninsured drivers of any state save one.