GOOD NEWS from New York:

THE NEW YORK IMMIGRATION COALITIONPress Statement

For Immediate Release, September 21, 2007 Contact: Norman Eng, 212-627-2227 x235

New Driver’s License Policy Is a Win for All New Yorkers

Statement of Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of The New York Immigration Coalition:

New York State’s new driver’s license policy, announced today by Governor Spitzer, is a win-win for immigrants and for all New Yorkers and a giant step forward for public safety. Not only will the new policy enable more New Yorkers to get licensed and insured, making our roads much safer, but it will also make our licensing system far more secure and immune to fraud.

The NYIC has called for a better licensing process ever since former Governor Pataki instituted a controversial immigrant exclusion policy in 2002. The old policy undermined public safety and hindered law enforcement by creating a huge population without records or identification and denying them the ability to drive. The new policy fixes the problem by imposing tough but fair documentation standards for all applicants. The new policy proves that it’s indeed possible to expand access while improving security.

For immigrant New Yorkers whose lives were devastated because they could no longer drive to work or drive their children to school, today is a day to celebrate. Immigrant communities throughout the nation can take heart that today’s victory may begin to turn the tide toward sensible and humane reforms at the federal level.

We applaud Governor Spitzer and DMV Commissioner Swartz for succeeding in crafting a smart driver’s license policy that will serve as a model for the rest of the nation.

—New York Immigration Coalition

I was a New Yorker longer than I lived in any other state. I have to say, I’m (very pleasantly) surprised by this news! It’s about time. And yes, I dare to share the same optimism that Norman Eng voices here. The more examples of this type of reasoning not-riddled-with-fear that are displayed, the more we waft away the stinking cloud of xenophobia and racism that is too often informing today’s legislation and social response to a changing culture and populace, and that in actuality, harms us all.

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