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New bill would toughen ID for driver’s licenses

By Michael Morton

The final touches on the legislation were put in place Tuesday by Congressional negotiators. Under the proposed legislation, drivers will have to provide four types of information: a birth certificate, a photo ID, proof of Social Security, and a document with full name and home address. Officials would have to check each applicant's immigration status with a national database.The bill, if it passes, is likely to make it harder for undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver's license, although states may choose to create special cards that allow people to drive but cannot be used for boarding planes and other purposes. Backers of the bill said it would prevent terrorists from gaining legitimate forms of identification and also noted that it would also help discourage illegal immigrants from coming to the United States.Some opponents of the bill have said implementing it will be too costly and unwieldy for states and their motor vehicle departments, while civil rights organizations and privacy advocates have said the legislation would make driver's licenses national ID cards, which they oppose, and worry that a national database would be vulnerable to identity theft.Jennifer Psaki, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) said the congressman also opposes the bill because it goes against the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 committee for making official documents more secure. Undocumented immigration will continue regardless of the measure, she said, and as such should be tracked by allowing states to issue regular driver's licenses.”Crowley is absolutely opposed to this,” Psaki said.Other provisions Crowley opposes were apparently taken out of the bill during negotiations, specifically language that made it harder for those seeking political asylum in the United States.The remaining measure, known as the Real ID Act, will soon come up for a vote in both houses, although an exact schedule had not been drawn up as of Tuesday. Since it was attached to an emergency appropriations bill for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and tsunami relief aid to south Asia, it was thought it could be passed.Reach reporter Michael Morton by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.