Guns For Illegal Aliens?

ALBANY, NY (11/01/2007)(readMedia)-- New York Republican State Committee Chairman Joseph N. Mondello today addressed new concerns about Governor Spitzer’s plan to give driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, specifically as it relates to illegal aliens using the state issued identification to purchase guns.

Opposition to the Governor’s plan continued to grow following yesterday’s Senate hearing into the viability of the plan, where Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner (DMV) David Swarts indicated that illegal aliens could use the driver’s license to purchase firearms.

“The idea that the Governor’s DMV Commissioner would publicly state that illegal aliens will be able to utilize state-issued driver’s licenses to purchase firearms is absolutely inconceivable,” said Chairman Mondello. “This is just the latest example of why Governor Spitzer’s deeply flawed plan should be abandoned once and for all.”

While federal law prohibits selling firearms to illegal aliens, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) required for rifle and shotgun purchases only reviews the criminal background of the gun purchaser, not their legal citizenship status. So, unless the illegal alien also has an arrest record, outstanding warrants or other criminal record that would prevent the purchase, all they would need to do to buy a rifle or shotgun is to present Governor Spitzer’s driver’s license and check a box saying they are a citizen.

A NICS background check can take as short as two minutes and is never more than seventy-two hours or three business days.

Of even greater concern, illegal aliens will be able to use their New York State driver’s license as a breeder document to travel to states with less strict firearms laws, establish state residency and easily purchase handguns for illegal use and resale there and back in New York.

“There are grave concerns that there are not sufficient systems in place to prevent putting guns in the hands of illegal aliens. The idea that New York State would in any way aid an illegal alien to easily walk into any local gun shop or sporting goods store and purchase a firearm in violation of federal law is deeply unsettling,” said Chairman Mondello.

The issue reflects similar concerns expressed by local boards of elections about illegal aliens using Governor Spitzer’s drivers’ licenses to vote. Both actions are illegal and would be more difficult to detect once illegal aliens have a driver's license. Illegal aliens would be able to register to vote by simply filling out a form, providing the Governor’s new driver’s license and checking a box. There is no effective system in place for local boards of election, like gun dealers, to verify that these illegal aliens are breaking the law.

“By issuing a driver’s license, the state confers certain rights and privileges to the card holder, in spite of the Governor’s insistence that a driver’s license is not a privilege and is no different than a metro card,” said Chairman Mondello. “Driver’s licenses serve as a source document for other forms of identification, bank accounts, apartment rentals, credit cards and purchases of certain items like alcohol, tobacco and some firearms. To offer this privilege to people who are in the country illegally is simply wrong.”

“New York has taken steps to ensure that we are more secure, including stricter provisions for licenses and laws to ensure that only responsible, law-abiding gun owners are able to purchase firearms. Governor Spitzer’s plan makes New York less secure in every aspect. He should listen to the public and the experts and abandon this deeply flawed plan now,” concluded Mondello.

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