Mike,

Thank you so much for sharing some of your thoughts and recent exchanges with your colleagues. All of you have read the initiative and have a thorough understanding of it. There is one aspect of it that has gained little attention from Libertarians.

The new proposed section of law 46-140.01 which appears on page 3 of the initiative requires identification for receipt of a "Public Benefit" (Public Benefit is never defined, but that is another flaw). Paragraphs A2 and A3 direct the State or any Political Subdivision there under to:

A2: PROVIDE ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE OF THIS STATE OR ANY OF ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS WITH INNFORMATION TO VERIFY THE IMMMIGRATION STATUS OFF ANY

APPLICANT FOR THOSE BENEFITS AND ASSIST THE EMPLOYEE IN OBTAINING THAT INFORMATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

A3: REFUSE TO ACCEPT ANY IDENTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE STATE OR ANY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE INCLUDING A DRIVERS LICENSE FOR THOSE BENEFFITS UNLESS THE ISSUING AUTHORITY HAS VERIFIED THE IMMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE APPLICANT.

It is very clear that any one applying for a public benefit must have one's "immigration status" verified by the Federal Government. A Resident Legal Alien ( Green Card holder) will be able to meet this requirement relatively quickly. So will a Naturalized Citizen of the United States. What about the rest of us? Federal Immigration does not maintain a single roster of every Citizen born in the United States. Verification of Residency and Citizenship may be easily available for someone with a U.S. Passport. Without one, other records will have to be searched. The most obvious is your Social Security Account.

The next step to resolve the apparent bureaucratic delays to receiving any public benefit is the establishment of a National ID. A National ID is something that FAIR and similar immigration restrictive groups have long advocated as a mechanism of limiting undocumented laborers from obtaining employment. Most Americans find the idea abhorrent.

If Public Benefit is found by a Court to not be limited to the programs enumerated in Title 46, many of us believe that will be the case, then Federal verification of a Citizens Immigration Status will be required for a Library Card, a Building Permit, a Hunting License, a Fishing License, and every other conceivable Government regulated human activity.

Alfredo Guttierrez
Chairman - Statue of Liberty Coalition