New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, the first republican woman elected in New Mexico and the first Latina woman to be elected in the United States, slammed Texas Governor Rick Perry's decision to sign legislation that gave illegal aliens in-state tuition, better known as the "Texas DREAM act," today on the Laura Ingraham show. Martinez, who has been fighting to stop illegal aliens from obtaining a driver's license in New Mexico, is a staunch and consistent opponent of illegal immigration.
Martínez last month announced the residency verification plan, which represents the administration's latest effort to focus attention on the state's politically charged license policy, which the governor contends poses a security risk.
New Mexico is one of three states — the others are Washington and Utah — where an undocumented immigrant can get a driver's license because no proof of citizenship is required.
Under the residency verification plan, New Mexico sent notices to people that they must schedule an in-person appointment and bring documents, such as a utility bill or lease agreement, to prove they live in the state. The administration plans to cancel licenses of people who no longer are New Mexico residents.
Martínez wants the Legislature to repeal New Mexico's license policy by requiring people to have a Social Security number, which is not available to someone living in the country illegally, to obtain a driver's license.
UPDATE: A source close to Governor Martinez clarified to me earlier that Governor Martinez was addressing a question concerning the Dream Act as opposed to Governor Perry specifically.
From the video:
"The problem we have is a public safety issue."
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"I don't support piecemeal legislation such as the DREAM Act."
Laura: "I asked you about Rick Perry's approach to immigration. Is his approach, including that DREAM Act, something that we should be pursuing nationally and is it something that you support?"
Martinez: "No, I don't. It is not comprehensive reform to put people who are here illegally, who violated the law, and put them in front of the line for those folks who have been waiting and doing all the right things to come to the United States, to come here legally, and/or to become a citizen. We cannot allow those folks to just jump the line."
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