Veto Fight Gets More Ammunition

Paul Diego Craney, spokesperson for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance and a first-generation American whose mother immigrated to the United States from Mexico City.

The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance announced today that they intend to hold lawmakers accountable on their upcoming vote to override the Governor’s veto on legislation that would give driver licenses to illegal immigrants. In his veto letter back to the legislature, Governor Charlie Baker noted that the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) does not have the expertise or ability to verify identification documents from other countries, the bill undoes reforms previously enacted by Gov. Baker designed to make Massachusetts drivers licenses more secure, and that the bill specifically prevents the RMV from sharing citizenship and immigration status with the state entities tasked with ensuring only citizens register to vote. The Governor’s letter stated, “this bill significantly increases the risk that noncitizens will be registered to vote.”

Early this morning, MassFiscal launched a digital campaign on social media directing constituents to contact their lawmakers with their concerns on the bill and ask them to uphold the veto.

“Instead of prioritizing a gas tax suspension, or any kind of broad tax relief aimed at the middle class, Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka have used their political capital to appease the special interest groups that dominate Democratic primaries. Over the next few days, driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants will be on the social media feed of millions of constituents across the state and we hope they will engage these lawmakers to let them know how they feel ahead of any override votes,” stated Paul Diego Craney, spokesperson for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance and a first-generation American whose mother immigrated to the United States from Mexico City.

“Speaker Mariano and Senate President Spilka may not want to listen to Governor Baker’s common sense warning, but perhaps they can be induced to listen to their constituents. We hope bringing this issue to the attention of ordinary people will help them see what a terrible idea it is,” concluded Craney.