Former Georgia State Senator Sam Zamarripa's audio remarks on April 17, 2003
Listen to audio of remarks made to the Georgia Senate by former Georgia state Senator Sam Zamarripa (36th District - Atlanta) on April 17, 2003. We think that it is worth a listen (5 mintes).
The above audio segments are parts of a full presentation that Zamarripa gave to the Georgia senate. To hear the entire presentation, please go to the Georgia Senate archives for April 17, 2003. Zamarripa begins around 9:16.
See Zamarripa's amendment to HB 191. Notice that he advocates using the IRS issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) as valid ID in applying for a driver's license. Using the ITIN as ID is a direct violation of explicit IRS guidelines for the use of the ITIN. IRS states very clearly that the ITIN is not intended as secure ID, and is intended only for income tax purposes - and can be obtained through the U.S. Mail system, without applying in person. We can only assume that state Senator Zamarripa was not aware of these IRS rules and regulations when he proposed his amendment.
While withdrawing his amendment to H.B. 191 - an amendment that would have allowed illegal aliens to obtain a Georgia driver's license - state senator Zamarripa explained that illegal aliens were driving the trucks of his fellow state senators, and that he would continue to try to offer similar legislation. He went on to tell the state senate that we should... "bend the rules for Hispanics" and that 20 million "undocumented" people were living in our nation at the time.
We find it troubling that the senator points to several criminal acts carried out by the illegal aliens that he is attempting to assist and encourage, while observing that our immigration system "is not working".
We applaud the state senators concern with "public safety", but are of the opinion that American public safety will be much better served if the state senator concentrates his efforts on law enforcement instead of special treatment for illegal aliens that happen to be Hispanic.
Also, please see the 2004 results of a 2003 ethics complaint against state senator Zamarripa.