I got a notice from NY State Department of Motor Vehicles the other day reminding me that my driver's license expires on my birthday and I need to renew it. As I don't have a social security number I have to go down to the DMV and wait in line, have my photo taken and pay $50 for a five year renewal. (I know, to Europeans this is a bizarre idea. There you take a test and if you pass you are pronounced competent to drive- unless you have an accident or injury you are set until your crusty old age, and they don't fleece you $50 bucks every few years either).
But, whatever, you do what you have to do. I gather my 6 points of ID necessary to get my new license, plan a trip to the Dept of Social Security to get a letter that states I am a legal alien and an appointment at the hairdresser so I don't look like an alien when they take my photo for the license and then I read the fine print.
As part of the Patriot Act and to ensure the security of the USA I have to have a passport valid for a year; check, and a visa valid for six months. No. No. No. My visa extension was granted for nine months in July. It expires in March 2007. Our immigration lawyer assures us we will have our I 140 approved by February and that will give me my own SS number (which by the way is the same as the Taxpayer Identification Number I was given when I arrived, so the authorities know who I am and where I live and they collect taxes from me every year).
What am I supposed to do between November 25 and sometime in February? Drive on my international license? Stay at home?
If anyone in Congress really thinks that this will prevent illegal aliens from getting to work then they are delusional. It will only encourage people not to get driving licenses or insurance. It won't prevent terrorism it will simply drive people underground and piss off people like me who do everything by the book and still end up being punished.
