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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Illegal immigrants would not be able to receive a state-issued card that allows them to drive and buy insurance, under a measure approved Monday by the Utah House. Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, said the cards are a threat to national security and encourage illegal immigrants to settle in Utah.
"With the driver privilege card, we do not know who they are," Donnelson said. "Are they terrorists? Are they just people who want to come here to work? We don't know."
The cards allow an illegal immigrant to drive and obtain insurance in Utah, but they cannot be used for identification purposes, such as to vote or board an airplane.
Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake City, said nobody in another country is coming to Utah because they can receive a card that allows them to buy car insurance. They come here, he said, because the state's economy is strong. "As long as jobs are there, immigration is going to be there," he said.
The House voted 39-35 to repeal the cards. Many lawmakers said the only thing that killing the cards would do is make roads unsafe because fewer people would have insurance.
A recent state audit showed the number of people possessing a card continues to rise, and three-quarters have insurance. Nearly 35,000 cards have been issued since the law began two years ago. Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful, praised the card after she was in an accident involving an illegal immigrant.
"It made all the difference in quickly resolving the repair of the car. I think it's a very, very bad idea for the protection of our citizens to repeal this law," she said.
Several lawmakers said they were acting because Congress had failed to stop illegal immigration.
"Do we want to continue the vacancy sign at our state borders?" said House Majority Leader Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara. "If Congress is unwilling to resolve this ... by golly, I guess we'll have to do it."
House Bill 239 now moves to the Senate, where another close vote is expected.
Senate leaders oppose repeal, but several members say they're intent on revoking the cards because they help make Utah a "sanctuary state" for illegal immigrants.
HB 239 is one of several immigration bills sponsored by Donnelson. He's also sponsoring a bill that would repeal in-state tuition for illegal immigrants who graduate from a Utah high school.
Utah business groups, including manufacturers and restaurateurs, plan to hold a news conference Tuesday to oppose some immigration legislation.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
