Tedisco: Fulton County Board of Supervisors Announce Bipartisan Opposition to Giving Driver’s Licenses to Those Here Illegally

Opposition to the misguided “Green Light Bill” to provide driver’s licenses to those here illegally, and support for Senator Jim Tedisco’s (R,C,I,REF-Glenville) legislation to protect County Clerks from being removed from office if they refuse to implement the Green Light Law, is growing.

Today, the Fulton County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to declare the county’s formal opposition to the Green Light Bill.  The Board also unanimously passed a motion introduced by Republican Gloversville County Supervisor Charlie Potter, and seconded by Democrat Gloversville Supervisor Marie Born, to support Tedisco’s “County Clerks Protection Act” (S.3868/A.6317)toindemnify county clerks, who run most of the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs),from facing lawsuits or removal by the governor when theyact in good faith and with a reasonable belief they are upholding their oath of office and the Constitution of the United States by refusing to issue driver’s licenses to those here illegally.

The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors has previously passed unanimously (with one abstention) a resolution in opposition to giving driver’s licenses to those here illegally.

Today’s Siena Poll found 53 percent of New Yorkers statewide opposed giving driver’s licenses to those here illegally.

“It’s becoming clearer by the day that a majority of New Yorkers oppose giving driver’s licenses to those here illegally. It was a bad idea when I first helped to stop the plan back in 2007 and it continues to be a bad idea today,” said Senator Tedisco. “If there is one set of hoops citizens have to jump through to earn their driving privileges but no standards for those here illegally, what’s the point of citizenship when you can just sneak into the front of the line and take advantage of our system?”

“Fulton County supports immigration but it has to be legal immigration through an established process and not done through a means of rewarding those who have broken the law when they entered this nation illegally and now want to further break the law by driving,” said Gloversville Supervisor Charlie Potter. “The greatest strength of this nation is immigration and the cultural differences between us, but by giving the privileges and benefits to those not on that path to citizenship it is a disincentive to those who want to do the right thing and become legal citizens of the United States. We support Senator Tedisco’s efforts to stop the Green Light Bill and his County Clerks Protection Act to ensure that Upstate Counties like Fulton County do not become magnets for illegal immigration.”