Sen. Lauzen on TV: Driver Licenses and In-State Tuition for illegal immigrants?
Should illegal immigrants be eligible for Driver Licenses and In-State Tuition?
We debate: You decide.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Well, wait a second. Let’s say that person came to this country when he or she was three... he’s gone to school here for the next 15 years. He has been in almost any sense a resident of the state of Illinois, unlike the guy who is in Iowa, he may be working at a part time job [in Illinois]. His parents are working, they’re paying taxes. They’re not at all like the folks in Iowa, are they?...
State Sen. Chris Lauzen: No, No. The person in Iowa and their parents are not breaking the law so I think if anybody is going to get a break-- my God, Jeff!
Berkowitz: Doesn’t this person [the illegal immigrant living in Illinois] have a closer tie to Illinois [than the legal resident in Iowa]; they’ve lived here [in Illinois] for the last 15 years?
Sen. Lauzen: Oh! Close tie to Illinois?
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Tonight’s City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” features State Sen. Chris Lauzen [R-Aurora], who was the Republican nominee in the 1998 election contest for State Comptroller. That election was won by now seven year Democrat State Comptroller Dan Hynes, who had the money, name and muscle of his dad [sound familiar], the former State Senate President and Cook County Assessor Tom Hynes. Last spring, Comptroller Dan Hynes became somewhat famous for losing, big time, to now U. S. Senator Barack Obama in a seven candidate U. S. Senate Democratic Primary that many expected Hynes to win.
During the last six months, Comptroller Hynes has become noted for his proposed legislation and work with Governor Rod Blagojevich on appropriations to subsidize [primarily] embryonic stem cell research. BTW, most would have thought that general issue to be more appropriate for Hynes’ U. S. senate run, when he didn’t raise it [or much else], than in his role as the Chief Financial Officer of the State of Illinois, when he did. Kind of makes you wonder about Dan's sense of timing, right?
The show with State Senator Lauzen airs throughout the City of Chicago [in the regular “Public Affairs,” City of Chicago Monday night slot] tonight at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV]. See here for more about the topics discussed on tonight's show with Sen. Lauzen, as well as for a partial transcript of tonight’s show with Sen. Lauzen.
***********************************************
Next week’s guest on the City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” [and this week’s guest on the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,”] is nine year State Rep. Mark Beaubien [R-Wauconda], who has been a state legislative "budgeteer," for the last three years and who is currently a possible Republican Primary Candidate in the 8th Cong. Dist.
*********************************************
An additional partial transcript of tonight’s show with State Senator Chris Lauzen is included, below:
*************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: A big issue that’s come up … before [is] drivers licenses [for], whether we say illegal immigrants, undocumented workers…, these folks are going to be driving. If they can’t get a driver’s license, a lot of them are not even going to be tested…A lot of these folks have been here a very long time. They’re raising families here. Does it make sense to put these people into the system? If they are going to drive, tell them to get a license, learn how to drive and follow the rules.
State Sen. Chris Lauzen: Well, maybe that’s a good idea, if you and I and your viewers can pick and choose which laws we want to follow. I think it was [President] John Kennedy who said, “The easiest road and clearest road to chaos is disregard for the law.” I prefer to call folks who break the law immigrating, illegal immigrants. I don’t want to call people aliens, it’s such a disparaging sounding word.
Berkowitz: [Okay], Illegal immigrants.
Sen. Lauzen: Illegal immigrants have broken the law when they came into the country in the first place, when they take a job, that’s breaking the law, again, when they keep it, again, when they are driving, again. Now, are we saying that at the point that we give them licenses, that all of a sudden they’re going to start following the law? We’re either going to follow the laws or we’re not and we’re not going to pick and choose and there are some I don’t like.
Berkowitz: If there are 8-10 million illegal immigrants who have been here quite some time, you’re not suggesting they all be deported tomorrow, are you?
Sen. Lauzen: I’m not, I think the federal government—
Berkowitz: So, what’s the solution?
Sen. Lauzen: Yeah, that’s not one that…the next time that I’m on this show, if you give me a little advance notice.
Berkowitz: But, you say no to licenses for these illegal immigrants
Sen. Lauzen: Of course
Berkowitz: And, you say no to in-state tuition breaks for these illegal immigrants, right?
Sen. Lauzen: Oh!
Berkowitz: Is the answer you say no?
Sen Lauzen: No. They should not have a two thirds tuition discount when they’re already breaking the law being here. A person from Des Moines, Iowa has to pay full load at the University of Illinois, but if someone comes, perhaps from Mexico, illegally, that person only has to pay one-third the freight. That’s fair?
Berkowitz: Well, wait a second. Let’s say that person came to this country when he or she was three. His parents were illegal. This person is still illegal because he wasn’t born here, [but] he’s gone to school here for the next 15 years. He has been in almost any sense a resident of the state of Illinois, unlike the guy who is in Iowa, he may be working at a part time job [in Illinois]. His parents are working, they’re paying taxes. They’re not at all like the folks in Iowa, are they? And, so if they are not--.
Sen. Lauzen: No, No. The person in Iowa and their parents are not breaking the law so I think if anybody is going to get a break, my God, Jeff!
Berkowitz: Doesn’t this person have a closer tie to Illinois; they’ve lived here [in Illinois] for the last 15 years?
Sen. Lauzen: Oh! Close tie to Illinois?
Berkowitz: They’ve lived here for 15 years. They may be living in your neighborhood. They may be some of your--
Sen. Lauzen: Oh! Thirty-five percent of my neighbors are Hispanic--
Berkowitz: So, you’re going but nothing comes to mind now to tell these illegals [that] they’re not a part of Illinois? Even though they’re in your district?
Sen. Lauzen: I say that people are breaking the law and are not entitled to additional benefits that encourage more illegals.
Berkowitz: Did that lose? That law passed. There is in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, right?
Sen. Lauzen: Unfortunately, yes.
Berkowitz: So, you lost on that.
Sen. Lauzen: Does that make you feel better?
Berkowitz: I’m just asking the questions here; I just wanted to clarify that.
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Transcribed by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here]
***********************************************************
State Senator Chris Lauzen [R- Aurora], recorded on June 29, 2005, as is airing on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs tonight, July 18 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21.
*****************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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We debate: You decide.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, wait a second. Let’s say that person came to this country when he or she was three... he’s gone to school here for the next 15 years. He has been in almost any sense a resident of the state of Illinois, unlike the guy who is in Iowa, he may be working at a part time job [in Illinois]. His parents are working, they’re paying taxes. They’re not at all like the folks in Iowa, are they?...
State Sen. Chris Lauzen: No, No. The person in Iowa and their parents are not breaking the law so I think if anybody is going to get a break-- my God, Jeff!
Berkowitz: Doesn’t this person [the illegal immigrant living in Illinois] have a closer tie to Illinois [than the legal resident in Iowa]; they’ve lived here [in Illinois] for the last 15 years?
Sen. Lauzen: Oh! Close tie to Illinois?
*******************************************************************
Tonight’s City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” features State Sen. Chris Lauzen [R-Aurora], who was the Republican nominee in the 1998 election contest for State Comptroller. That election was won by now seven year Democrat State Comptroller Dan Hynes, who had the money, name and muscle of his dad [sound familiar], the former State Senate President and Cook County Assessor Tom Hynes. Last spring, Comptroller Dan Hynes became somewhat famous for losing, big time, to now U. S. Senator Barack Obama in a seven candidate U. S. Senate Democratic Primary that many expected Hynes to win.
During the last six months, Comptroller Hynes has become noted for his proposed legislation and work with Governor Rod Blagojevich on appropriations to subsidize [primarily] embryonic stem cell research. BTW, most would have thought that general issue to be more appropriate for Hynes’ U. S. senate run, when he didn’t raise it [or much else], than in his role as the Chief Financial Officer of the State of Illinois, when he did. Kind of makes you wonder about Dan's sense of timing, right?
The show with State Senator Lauzen airs throughout the City of Chicago [in the regular “Public Affairs,” City of Chicago Monday night slot] tonight at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV]. See here for more about the topics discussed on tonight's show with Sen. Lauzen, as well as for a partial transcript of tonight’s show with Sen. Lauzen.
***********************************************
Next week’s guest on the City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” [and this week’s guest on the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,”] is nine year State Rep. Mark Beaubien [R-Wauconda], who has been a state legislative "budgeteer," for the last three years and who is currently a possible Republican Primary Candidate in the 8th Cong. Dist.
*********************************************
An additional partial transcript of tonight’s show with State Senator Chris Lauzen is included, below:
*************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: A big issue that’s come up … before [is] drivers licenses [for], whether we say illegal immigrants, undocumented workers…, these folks are going to be driving. If they can’t get a driver’s license, a lot of them are not even going to be tested…A lot of these folks have been here a very long time. They’re raising families here. Does it make sense to put these people into the system? If they are going to drive, tell them to get a license, learn how to drive and follow the rules.
State Sen. Chris Lauzen: Well, maybe that’s a good idea, if you and I and your viewers can pick and choose which laws we want to follow. I think it was [President] John Kennedy who said, “The easiest road and clearest road to chaos is disregard for the law.” I prefer to call folks who break the law immigrating, illegal immigrants. I don’t want to call people aliens, it’s such a disparaging sounding word.
Berkowitz: [Okay], Illegal immigrants.
Sen. Lauzen: Illegal immigrants have broken the law when they came into the country in the first place, when they take a job, that’s breaking the law, again, when they keep it, again, when they are driving, again. Now, are we saying that at the point that we give them licenses, that all of a sudden they’re going to start following the law? We’re either going to follow the laws or we’re not and we’re not going to pick and choose and there are some I don’t like.
Berkowitz: If there are 8-10 million illegal immigrants who have been here quite some time, you’re not suggesting they all be deported tomorrow, are you?
Sen. Lauzen: I’m not, I think the federal government—
Berkowitz: So, what’s the solution?
Sen. Lauzen: Yeah, that’s not one that…the next time that I’m on this show, if you give me a little advance notice.
Berkowitz: But, you say no to licenses for these illegal immigrants
Sen. Lauzen: Of course
Berkowitz: And, you say no to in-state tuition breaks for these illegal immigrants, right?
Sen. Lauzen: Oh!
Berkowitz: Is the answer you say no?
Sen Lauzen: No. They should not have a two thirds tuition discount when they’re already breaking the law being here. A person from Des Moines, Iowa has to pay full load at the University of Illinois, but if someone comes, perhaps from Mexico, illegally, that person only has to pay one-third the freight. That’s fair?
Berkowitz: Well, wait a second. Let’s say that person came to this country when he or she was three. His parents were illegal. This person is still illegal because he wasn’t born here, [but] he’s gone to school here for the next 15 years. He has been in almost any sense a resident of the state of Illinois, unlike the guy who is in Iowa, he may be working at a part time job [in Illinois]. His parents are working, they’re paying taxes. They’re not at all like the folks in Iowa, are they? And, so if they are not--.
Sen. Lauzen: No, No. The person in Iowa and their parents are not breaking the law so I think if anybody is going to get a break, my God, Jeff!
Berkowitz: Doesn’t this person have a closer tie to Illinois; they’ve lived here [in Illinois] for the last 15 years?
Sen. Lauzen: Oh! Close tie to Illinois?
Berkowitz: They’ve lived here for 15 years. They may be living in your neighborhood. They may be some of your--
Sen. Lauzen: Oh! Thirty-five percent of my neighbors are Hispanic--
Berkowitz: So, you’re going but nothing comes to mind now to tell these illegals [that] they’re not a part of Illinois? Even though they’re in your district?
Sen. Lauzen: I say that people are breaking the law and are not entitled to additional benefits that encourage more illegals.
Berkowitz: Did that lose? That law passed. There is in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, right?
Sen. Lauzen: Unfortunately, yes.
Berkowitz: So, you lost on that.
Sen. Lauzen: Does that make you feel better?
Berkowitz: I’m just asking the questions here; I just wanted to clarify that.
*********************************************************
Transcribed by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here]
***********************************************************
State Senator Chris Lauzen [R- Aurora], recorded on June 29, 2005, as is airing on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs tonight, July 18 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21.
*****************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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