New Mexico governor (R) loses bid to block licenses for illegal (immigrants) [View All]

[pampango]

Source: Reuters

New Mexico's newly elected Republican governor lost her attempt to deny driver's licenses to illegal immigrants on Saturday, when the bill died in the state Senate. New Mexico is one of only three states to allow undocumented immigrants to receive driver's licenses.

Governor Susana Martinez, a former prosecutor of Mexican-American descent, made a crackdown on illegal immigration a centerpiece of her campaign before her election in November.

The bill to repeal the state's law giving licenses to illegals was approved in the state House of Representatives on March 4 by a vote of 42-28. In the Senate, where Democrats hold a 27 to 15 majority over Republicans, lawmakers indicated they were more interested in toughening up the existing law rather than repealing it.

"This goes to show that you come in with a radical, extremist agenda, you're going to get push-back because New Mexico is not a radical extremist state," said Marcela Diaz, head of immigrants rights group Somos un Pueblo Unido.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/19/us-licenses-newmexico-idUSTRE72I4BI20110319