Natali Fani

Both the ones who support Real Id and the ones who oppose it (see picture below) gathered at the MVA building in Maryland to demonstrate, last week.

A totally new system that critics say comes too close to a national ID card has passed the House after it was attached to the supplemental appropriations bill that assigns funds to the Iraq and Afghanistan.

The bill known as REAL ID Act is strongly supported by the Bush Administration, and just as strongly opposed by most civil rights groups, immigrant advocacy organizations, and the Democrats as a whole.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. Republican from Wisconsin, as well as the Bush Administration touted REAL ID as an antiterrorism measure, but opponents insist it would eliminate drivers licenses for undocumented workers, remove essential rights from people escaping political violence and religious persecution, and construct physical barriers within US borders.

Natali Fani

Chairman Sensenbrenner stated, “This legislation is aimed at preventing another 9/11-type attack by disrupting terrorist travel and bolstering our border security. Giving drivers’ licenses that can be used as identification to anyone, regardless of whether they are here legally or whether we know who they really are, is an open invitation for terrorists and criminals to exploit.”

“The REAL ID will help shut down ‘Smugglers Gulch’ along our border so law-abiding American citizens are better protected from terrorists, drug smugglers, alien gangs, and violent criminals seeking to operate in the U.S.,” said Sensenbrenner.

The new legislation would set national standards for driver’s licenses and state identification cards, and would require states to verify the authenticity of every document that people use to prove their identity and show their legal residency.

If passed, by May 2008 every state will be required to basically guarantee the validity of birth certificates, mortgage statements, utility bills, Social Security cards, and immigration papers before granting a driver’s license. States will also have to keep copies of those documents for seven years, so infuriating critics for the high cost of this measure.

This Saturday, thousands of immigrants are expected to gather in Maryland to reject the REAL ID Act, in a protest organized by the National Council of La Raza, RECOLAO, Maryland Latino Coalition for Justice, and Friends of New Marylanders.

“This anti-immigrant and inhumane legislation will not increase safety in our nation – instead it will make millions of people that live in our neighborhoods hide even more,” said Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA of Maryland. “It would make our community drive without any type of driver’s license and car insurance every time they go to work,” said Mr. Torres.

This Saturday, May 7, a massive gathering of thousands of immigrants, their friends and allies will come together to reject the REAL ID Act and condemn the two major political parties for turning their backs on Latinos and immigrants just after the presidential elections.

“The passage of REAL ID demonstrates how little President Bush, the Republican party as a whole as well as Democrats respect the immigrant workers of this nation,” said Octavio Ramírez, Montgomery County Workers Committee Leader of CASA of Maryland.

Preempting this sort of accusations, US Senator Harry Reid, democrat for Nevada said that “democrats were excluded from the negotiations about Real ID. When the impact of this legislation is felt, the American people will know at whose doorstep to lay the blame.”

According to the organizers of the protest, for two years, political leaders in Congress have promised that comprehensive immigration reform was needed to repair a broken system that often leaves workers risking their lives crossing the desert and employers with empty factories. Despite election-year commitments, no reform package has been advanced and instead undocumented workers will bear the brunt of the broken system through passage of REAL ID.

“The Bush administration’s support for this ill-considered legislation reveals its true face on issues impacting this nation’s immigrant community,”said Reid. “While President Bush pays lip service to immigration reform and attempts to court this country’s Hispanic voters, his administration has backed legislation that will have a detrimental impact on the daily lives of this nation’s immigrants, including those who are here legally and who have complied with all requirements of the law.”

Opponents also complaint for the inclusion of this controversial legislation in this supplemental appropriations bill, which is sure to pass, because they believe this legislation has no place on an emergency spending bill for the troops in Iraq and aid for tsunami victims.