Spitzer Alters Immigrant License Plan

Oct 28, 12:31 PM

Current Headlines: New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer has altered his plan to allow illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses, banning their use as travel documents.

While Spitzer has not backed down from his controversial plan, the governor did propose not allowing the driver's licenses to be used as required identification when crossing borders and boarding airplanes, The New York Times said Saturday.

The precautionary measure would only involve illegal immigrants' licenses and legal U.S. citizens would still be able to get federally recognized identification cards.

Spitzer's new plan comes in the wake of criticism from his fellow politicians, who had labeled the move a potentially costly threat to state and federal security.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, said Spitzer's new plan would fall in line with federal requirements, but warned that the proposed measure could still pose a security risk.

I don't endorse giving licenses to people who are not here legally, but federal law does allow states to make that choice, Chertoff said. What we can do is insist that licenses that do not meet federal requirements be clearly so labeled. New York has agreed to do that.