Reader comments
Tightened driving privilege card passes Senate committee, two others immigration bills stall

GRRRRRRRRR | 12:28 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

Sure lets keep giving out priviledges to illegals then turn around and tell them being an illegal is wrong.

Cottonwood Heights | 12:52 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

Clearly the Senate wanted to give the appearance of responding to the will of the people of Utah, but there is absolutely no substance to this bill.

I'll be voting against my Senator next election.

izzydo | 1:07 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

If 76% of undocumented alliens have auto insurance why is there so many auto accidents reported that state differently. I am tired of paying more for my auto insurance because of all the uninsured drivers. It is time to close our boarders and start making our country a safer place for those of us that are here legally. If our representitives in Salt Lake are not willing to do this, then they should move over and let someone who is, take their seat at the capital.

Comments continue below

is this | 1:02 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

a smokescreen??

Big Brent | 1:16 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

The legislature wimped out again!! First, the delayed implementation of the main watered down illegal immigration bill and now this. The legislature has sure put out the welcome mat for the illegals fleeing the much tougher anti-illegal alien bills recently implemented in Arizona.

This wimp-out will surely mean more illegal alien caused accidents, more hit and runs and higher car insurance premiums for the legal residents of Utah.

Jake | 1:17 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

I firmly believe that most of our lawmakers are bordeline idiots. Why sholuld illegals be given any special consideration orpriveleges?? Don'tyou people(lawmakers) get it??They are ILLEGALS,they have no right here. Oh yes, they do, the right to get ona bus and go back to where they came from.

failure | 1:22 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

That's what I call the State Senate. They don't seem to care what the voters want.

Beyond Despair | 1:58 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

Every single issue relating to illegal aliens is being watered down and given the appearence of sentate action, however, nothing is being done. Illegals are getting their way and citizens are getting sucker-punched, again! Way to go government,keep giving the citizens the appearence that you care..

Referendum | 2:45 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

So, since our state lawmakers will not do anything about illegal immigration other than promote it, how do we get this on the ballot for the voters this November?

Trouble ahead | 3:00 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

I just moved here from the Chicago area and we went through the same kind of government debate Utah is having. It's the same thing; state officials are to afraid to "upset" the immigrant population so nothing gets done. Pretty soon you going to see taxes go up services go up, hospitals and health services get overwhelmed on and on and on. Welcome to the new Mexicoï¿½.

Anonymous | 3:31 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

undocumented drivers? That's rich.

How many pay their first month of insurance to show proof, then never renew it each month? That would never show up in a study.

Legal residents do that also, but we are subject to the laws of the land. An illegal getting sued can just go home.

Crystal | 3:33 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

I would rather get hit by an Illegal with insurance than without!!! think about that????

I also think its a good Idea that they cant use them as an I.D to purchase beer and buy weapons. I dont like the Idea of not being avaible to purchase prescribtions thats kind of sad!!! how or they going to buy there medicine if one gets sick or family members get sick
?? I guess there are pros and cons.......to everything in this world!!!!!

Paul | 3:55 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

How about, if an illegal alien is stopped that has only a Driver's Privilege card and no insurance, that the illegal be immediately deported? If a Driver's Privilege card is presented, have the officer verify immediately that any presented insurance information is correct and up-to-date. If not, off the jail. And, yes, feel free to verify insurance for citizens. Give us a ticket if we're not up-to-date.

Lee | 4:35 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

I would agree with Paul. How about a bill that requires police officers to confirm the validity of an insurance card presented after a traffic stop or accident. If the card presented is for a lapsed/invalid insurance policy, the car should be immediately impounded and the owner arrested, where their legal presence would be ascertained.

I would also like to see an investigation of any illegals arrested carried forward to the employer of that individual. The employer should be given a heads up that they had hired at least one illegal and they should be given a chance to take a look at their hiring practices and forced to verify the legal status of other employees. They employer should be placed on a follow-up check list by ICE and if they are found with additional illegals they should face high fines and the loss of their business license and/or taxpayer account in the State.

John | 4:34 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

I am so sick of the inhumane way people view illegial immigrants. Put yourself in their position and see what you would do. Seriously, since when did Americans start thinking it was okay to have such an elitist view?

I hate Ignorant people | 5:19 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

John you are about the first person I have read ever make sense. My wife is from Mexico we have been trying for 3 years to get her papers right just had another appointment yesterday in MX we were denied again they said it isn't a hardship to be apart. I am an American Citizen born in NY. She was 8 when she was brought here. We paid our fee yesterday $545 then within an hour was handed the deniel letter it was already printed up before we got there. We have 30 days to appeal again. Meanwhile I am here in UT and she is in MX. They are not here to hurt us they are here for the same reasons we are to provide for their families. It takes on average over 5 years to get a Visa to come here will you wait 5 years to feed your family? Just because you were lucky enough to be born here doesn't make you any better then anyone else we are apart of the Human Race. Our ancestors would be ashamed at us!!!

Paul | 7:59 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

Feel free to emigrate to Mexico. There is no reason for you to be apart from your wife. (You did know she wasn't a citizen when you married her, no?)

The Raven | 9:54 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

This makes no sense to me. If someone is in our country illegally the state has no business issuing them any type of "official" ID. These people should be arrested and deported. Enough said.

rick | 10:43 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

The only thing these lawmakers are more afraid of is loosing their cushie jobs, would some one advise us who voted against these bills so that we can show them our displeasure at the polls. united we can make change. complaining will get us nowhere. we need a few good persons in these districts who will not be swayed be the special interest flock that surround our legislatures. this illegal influx of persons is bank rupting our schools, medical facilities, and i would bet you 2 to 1 that many of these individuals buy insurance for a month let it lapse and drive, drive, drive. hit and run along with the other irresponsibles. I used to sell insurance and saw it a lot.

uncannygunman | 11:20 p.m. Feb. 26, 2008

If the state doesn't want the thing used as ID, don't put the person's name or birthdate on it. What on earth is the point of having any personal information on the card if the ONLY purpose for it is driving? A picture, an expiration date, and a license (oops! privilege card) number should suffice, any cop who pulls the person over can readily access the information. What's the problem?

If I ever see anyone getting hassled to buy beer because they only have a privilege card, maybe I'll just buy for them. Problem solved.

Alberto | 10:57 a.m. Feb. 29, 2008

National Security is a legitimate concern of the state. If immigrants that have limited or questionable identity shold be 10 FINGER PRINTED when they apply to for a privilage card at the Driver's License Division, and conect that to the FBI database, which is an existing database generated by the INS (border authority). This could help screen their true identity.

tired | 10:40 a.m. March 8, 2008

seems some of you that think this country will be a new mexico need to go back to school and study geography, not all illegals come from Mexico, just because mexico is our neighbor, that does not make people from central or even south america mexicans just because they cross the border via this country, there are many that say they actually are mexicans so the authorities will not send them all the way back to their countries and end up in mexico to try to cross the border again later on.
If your government really really wanted to get rid of the illegal inmigrants, why dont they do anything about the people hiring this illegal aliens? if they didnt know they can get a job without papers, they wouldnt be here on the first place, i mean, how hard does it have to be to check sonmeones security number to see if it is real or not?

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