How easy to discriminate!

On Oct 1, 2008, the Texas Dept of Public Safety (the folks that issue driver's licenses) took immigration reform into their own hands and created the new vertical layout driver's license. The policy they came up with does two things differently than before: (1) non-US citizens need to show proof of legal immigration status to get and renew a license, (2) all non-citizens who are legally present, including permanent residents(!), will have an ID that looks different from US citizens' and with the words "temporary visitor" on it.

Both these changes have bigger ramifications than driver safety. The first one melts into a battle between illegal immigration vs having tons of unlicensed, uninsured motorists on our roads. But the second one is gnawing at me even more.

Every person you present your license to, right down to the bartender at your nightclub, will now know whether you are a US Citizen. This isn't information they have a right or need to know. The cop who pulled you over for speeding now knows if you are a citizen or not. The security guys in the airport will know it. The grocery store cashier who IDs you for wine will know it. DPS has opened up non-citizens who are legally in the country to a whole world of possible discrimination. Where is the sense in that?

I exchanged emails with Valinda Bolton in this regard. There was supposed to have been a bill discussed in the House in Octboer '08, but it disappeared (in my eyes). I contacted her again and there is a new house bill HB 1619 that seeks to overturn the different-looking part of the changes DPS implemented. If you can see that having a license that looks different can open ALL non-citizens up to discrimination, you can do one of the following:

(1) Write to any and all of the members of the House Public Safety commitee. Tell them to not support and enable discrimination, overturn DPS's unilateral decision to give non-citizens a different looking license, and vote for HB 1619 that seeks to take away the changed appearance of the license.

(2) Visit any of the above at the Capitol. I called the office to ask what I could do and the person on the phone suggested it and said "That's what lobbyists do". I said I wasn't one and he said "The purpose of the House is to support the average citizen, so you should come.". Well said, but I don't know that I have what it takes.

(3) Track the committee's website to see when this bill will come up for discussion. Be physically present and vote for it. You need to be a US citizen to do this. You will be able to speak or provide written witness if you wish to do so. I am assuming that just means presenting your argument. I plan on going but I suck at tracking these things. I'll try to post a blog update if I stay on top of things.

But the least you can do is write. Write and tell them to not enable discrimination and take away the privacy of legally present aliens. Because George Orwell is watching you.

(I had to take a break from vacation inspirted posts and get this out.)