Show Few deported in other states with license plan Bart Jones Some immigrants and advocacy groups fear that New York Gov Eliot proposed three- three tiered drivers driver's license program will expose illegal immigrants to discrimination even deportation But if the experience of two states with special licenses for the undocumented is any indication the fears might not be well- well grounded While six states have allowed undocumented immigrants to apply for the same drivers driver's license as everyone else two states have Utah and Tennessee offered a license or certificate specifically for residents without legal pap papers s. s About drivers have Utah's driving privilege card and about Tennessee residents had a special driving certificate in 2006 A Tennessee Department of Safety spokesman added that 23 percent of those had documented US U.S. immigration status In neither state have the licenses prompted widespread discrimination or raids and deportations by federal immigration agents advocates said It has worked very well for forus forus forus us in Utah said Luz Robles the former director of the Utah State Office of Ethnic Affairs We haven't had any any issues regarding racial profiling or discrimination David Lubell director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition said a driving certificate for undocumented immigrants that was in place for nearly two years but since has been repealed did not trigger mass deportations We Ve heard of cases where it appeared people were being treated differently for having the certificate But it was not widespread Lubell said Tim Counts a spokesman in Washington DC D.C. said Immigration and Customs Enforcement has no plans to use licenses to track down undocumented workers He said the agency's priorities are investigating criminal activity and national security threats Still some advocates in New NewYork NewYork NewYork York are arc not so sure tiered three-tiered system will not hann harm undocumented immigrants They note that some county clerks responsible for issuing licenses have declared they would call immigration authorities if the policy is implemented License Continued on un License 1 1 t nl m l t f plan IJ J J. J i- i iA J A it- it Jf Continued from A I 1 IOther Other advocates say some immigrants were deported in fn 2004 after the state Department of Motor Vehicles summoned them to their offices because their Social Security numbers did not match records The strongly denies this We investigated the allegation and found its it's not true agency spokeswoman Gail Tyner- Tyner Tayl Taylor r said Immigrants however did feel a clampdown at that time In 2004 the notified people that they had 15 days to produce a valid Social Security number or face the loss of their drivers driver's licenses At Atthe Atthe Atthe the time officials said it was acting as part of ofa a statewide effort to track down deadbeat dads There are reasons why people are afraid said Amy of La LaFuente LaFuente LaFuente Fuente a Manhattan-based Manhattan immigrant advocacy group Based on past experience discrimination doesn't seem impossible The administration says the would proposed system undocumented d ocum protect u ls s sin immigrants ts fro from because th e in part can be obtained rd by y also and d t US U.S. legal residents a f cit citizens z The license would woul albut people to drive legally but would not allow them to board ai aircraft craft or enter federal buildings It WOl would lq be marked Not For as Government purposes A person looking att t drivers driver's license will know the immigration status of the holder f spokeswoman Christine Pritchard said In Tennessee many undocumented immigrants debated whether to apply for the certificate that was in effect from 2004 to 2006 Lubell said Theres a risk to getting the document and exposing themselves as undocumented he said But theres a risk to driving without a license Lubell added that in the end a lot of our group members decided the risk was WS greater driving without a license than there is with discrimination based on driving with the certificate Joie Tyrrell contrib contributed t d to this report |