Action Alert: Protect NY Driver’s License Policy Shift, A Win-Win for All

Background

Last Friday, Governor Spitzer and Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner David Swarts announced an administrative policy change to give all New Yorkers the opportunity to apply for state driver licenses and IDs without regard to immigration status. This victory in New York is momentous and can serve as a model for the rest of the nation on smart and fair policies for immigrants.

This policy was the result of four years of coalition-building, organizing, and advocacy. Despite the unanimous support from the State Police, State Insurance, and the International Security Affairs Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, anti-immigrant groups from across the country are making calls to the Governor’s office to protest this change. We need to respond today.

What can you do?

1) Call the Governor’s office at 518-474-8390 to voice your support for this hard-won victory and to ensure proper implementation of the policy. NAKASEC and YKASEC – Empowering the Korean American Community, NAKASEC’s affiliate in New York, encourages New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers to call in.

Script:·

* My name is ______ and I am a New Yorker that lives in (ZIP CODE)” OR “My name is ____.” (if you live outside of New York)

* I want to applaud Gov. Spitzer’s leadership with the driver’s license policy change.

* I also want to make sure that the Governor’s office will ensure that the policy will be properly implemented.

2) If you cannot call, send the Governor an email at http://www.ny.gov/governor/contact/index.html or send a fax at 518-474-1513.

3) Circulate this action alert to your networks/paste it onto your social networking websites.

For more information, contact YKASEC at 718.460.5600. To get information from the NYS DMV, please visit: http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/licensure.htm