Tennessee, Its About Time: Tennessee stopped issuing driving certificates to illegal immigrants Friday

It took Tennessee how long to figure out such a practice as abuse could be occurring by issuing driving certificates to illegal immigrants? What part about the fact that you were issuing legitimate documents to illegals didn’t quite anyone understand? At least the practice has now come to an end.

Tennessee stopped issuing driving certificates to illegal immigrants Friday after investigations found they were being shuttled from other states, using fake residency papers and sometimes bribing state workers to get the cards. (AP)

The law of unintended circumstances usually always comes into play by implementing such a program as this, but who could not have seen this coming?

“This program was a good idea in theory, but there have been issues with implementation,” Nicely said.

The certificates, which are stamped “not valid for identification,” were meant to improve driving safety by making sure immigrants living in the state knew traffic rules. Recent federal investigations found that illegal immigrants were traveling hundreds of miles from other states to get the certificates illegally.

With all the issues of illegal immigration and fears of undocumented individuals coming into the US in a post 9-11 world, who thinks that this could possible be the right idea? Let alone safe?

Tennessee is among 11 U.S. states that have not required proof of legal residence to obtain driving documents.

In early 2001, the state started issuing full driver’s licenses without requiring a Social Security number, and more than 180,000 people obtained licenses. The driving certificates were created in 2004 to satisfy homeland security concerns; about 51,000 were issued.

Applicants are now required to provide two documents, such as a utility bill or lease, to show they live in Tennessee, along with a Social Security number or a sworn affidavit if there is none. They also must pass an eye exam, a driving rules test and a road test.

Of course the beloved ACLU is against this as they considered driving certificates discriminatory, but at least it was something. Because some how the ACLU just doesn’t seem to get or rather care about the term, “illegals”. One really begins to wonder why they are called illegals when they have the same if not in some cases more rights than law abiding legal citizens of the United States.

Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, said suspending the program “endangers everyone traveling the roads in Tennessee.”

“The certificate program, while discriminatory to begin with, at least ensured that drivers were trained and had insurance,” Weinberg said. The ACLU had favored the full driver’s licenses.