The Great Betrayal: Idaho Republicans Senate Moves On Illegals

In an unprecedented move of lack of rational judgement, the Idaho Senate Transportation Committee voted 5-4 to advance a bill without recommendation to the Senate floor. The bill would allow folks living in this country illegally but somehow working in Idaho to obtain a legal driver's license. The bill is the product of Senator Jim Guthrie, R- McCammon, who sponsors a version of this bill every year.

If you asked most Idahoans whether they would approve this move, they would answer with a resounding no. This year was particular because Republicans chose to back the bill to allow it to go to the Senate floor. The Idaho Statesman provides us the names of the Republicans who appear to favor letting people in this country illegally drive legally: 'Sens. Lori Den Hartog, Chuck Winder, and Doug Okuniewicz joined Democratic Sens. Ali Rabe.'

Is it asking too much for our Republican Senate leaders to support the rule of law or law enforcement? Several law enforcement officials testified before the committee that this bill would not allow them to enforce the law. Their pleas fell on deaf ears as big-money interests led by the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, the Idaho Dairymen Association, and The Idaho Farm Bureau cheered on the Republicans for not doing their duty.

The honorable and transparent move would be to vote in favor bill by going on the record. The citizens of Idaho are not stupid. If these Republican senators wanted this bill to be killed, they would've voted to kill it. 

Proponents of the legislation say it's all about money. The proponents' reason the folks are here illegally is, why not allow businesses to make more money from their labor? They didn't mention that the taxpayer would subsidize their work by paying higher insurance rates. 

This bill must be defeated. Don't let the proponents of this legislation fool you. The bill is about enforcing the rule of law; what is a state if established laws are not enforced? 

We urge the entire Idaho State Senate to vote no against this bill and show the wisdom the Senate Transportation Committee lacked.