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NY Must Reject the Real ID Act!
Are you ready for a national identity card?
The Real ID Act passed by Congress in 2005 without a single hearing attempts to turn state driver's licenses into America's first-ever national ID cards.
The RealID Act undermines privacy, immigrants' rights, and security. It will mean higher driver's license fees, longer lines at the DMV, and
bureaucratic nightmares for Americans. It will mean the loss of driving privileges, and economic livelihood, for millions of immigrants.
Fortunately, there is a way to stop the Real ID Act from becoming law in New York.
Congress has left it up to each state to decide whether to implement the Real ID Act.
We need your help in urging Governor Spitzer to reject the Real ID Act in New York! [2]
Six states have already passed legislation opposing the Real ID Act, in what is truly a bipartisan movement.
Organizations opposing the Real ID Act have ranged from the American Conservative Union and Gun Owners of America, to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and the National Organization for Women.
It 's time for New York State to join this national movement. Governor Spitzer must stand up for New
Yorkers ' rights and oppose the Real ID Act.
Click here to send a free fax today! [3]
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Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Assembly Member Sheldon Silver (if you live in New York)
Governor Eliot Spitzer (if you live in New York)
Senator Joseph Bruno (if you live in New York)
Your Assemblyperson (if you live in New York)
Your State Senator (if you live in New York)
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Please Oppose Implementation of the Real ID Act in New YorkDear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],As your constituent, I urge you to oppose implementation of the federal Real ID Act in New York State. I also ask that you support one driver's license for all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status.
Since its passage in 2005, the Real ID Act has ignited a storm of opposition among states. Six states have already passed legislation rejecting the Real ID Act. Similar bills are pending in close to 30 states. It's time for New York to join the growing number of states opposing Real ID Act implementation.
The Real ID Act violates my privacy rights because it tries to create a national ID card. Law-abiding Americans have the right to come and go when and where they please without fear that their government is watching over their every move. A national ID card is simply un-American, and it will not make New Yorkers safer.
The Real ID Act will also be a bureaucratic nightmare for me and my family. I am worried that someone I love may lose precious government services because they can't find their birth certificate, or find the time to overcome the many bureaucratic hurdles to get a so-called Real ID.
I also don't want to turn my local DMV into a local immigration enforcement agency. Eligibility to drive a car has nothing to do with a person's immigration status. All New Yorkers who can prove that they can drive should be able to get the same driver's license, regardless of their immigration status.
The federal government has left states with the burden of shouldering the implementation costs of the Real ID Act, which could reach as high as $23 billion. New York taxpayers should not carry the costs of this unfunded federal mandate.
The nation is watching to see what New York will do on Real ID. Your decision on the Real ID Act will play a significant role in shaping the future of the Act. New York should be at the forefront of the bipartisan opposition against the Real ID Act. I ask you to take a leadership role on this issue.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on opposing implementation of the Real ID Act in New York.
Sincerely,
Concerned New Yorker
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