A number of local elected officials from Rensselaer, Columbia, and Saratoga Counties met with reporters Wednesday morning to express their opposition to the so-called "Green Light bill," which is designed to provide illegal immigrants with a driver's license. The bill is in a Senate Committee right now. At the same time, a group of protesters from "Green Light New York" were on hand to counter what officials were saying about the bill. The protestors interrupted the news conference on several occasions, even singing "This Land is Your Land" at one point.
Senator Daphne Jordan and others are saying this is a bad bill, and would jeopardize traffic safety and compromise public security. Jordan said, "this is not about immigrants, this is about our laws, what's legal, and protecting our law abiding citizens."
Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola said he's never issued a license to an illegal immigrant, and has no intention to. In fact, he even said he plans to have ICE "on speed dial." If the bill passes, he says anyone here illegally can go somewhere else for a license.
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