Massachusetts, as we all know, is a haven for empty headed liberals that support illegal immigration and open borders. Most of their boosterism comes from their misguided notion that they are far enough from the border to be immune to the consequences of allowing the invasion to continue.

Now Massachusetts is learning the hard way that uncontrolled immigration is affecting them in a very profound fashion — like for instance people are dying in the streets!

The brouhaha over immigration boiled over when an illegal alien driver plowed into a motorcycle driver. 

Matthew Denice, a resident of Milford, Mass., was killed by Nicolas Guaman, an undocumented Ecuadoran immigrant, who struck Denice’s motorcycle with his car. The death led to calls in the community for action against unauthorized immigration. A member of the Milford Board of Selectmen, William Buckley, said of unauthorized immigration: “There’s a real impact. People are dying.”
Mass. drunk driving death inspires bipartisan bill cracking down on unauthorized immigrants, By Nicolas Mendoza, 09/26/11

Massachusetts is complaining that Arizona is too lax when it comes to issuing driver's licenses to aliens.

In particular they are complaining that Somali refugees, who were dumped in Arizona by President Bush, are using Arizona driver's licenses to migrate to Massachusetts.

Gov. Deval Patrick blames his state's problems on approximately 120 Somalis that migrated from Arizona to Massachusetts. According to Gov. Deval the Somalis cause accidents because they have dubious credentials to drive. His complaint reeks of politically correct doubletalk because those Somalis are in the U.S. legally on refugee visas — and yet Massachusetts says that they are suspending hundreds of Arizona driver's licenses.

The numbers of Somalis are too small to be the only source of foreigners that drive in the state — so who owns the hundreds of other licenses that the Governor and the media are whining about? Authorities and politicians in that state are still not willing to face the ugly reality that illegal aliens are the problem. They are using smoke and mirror tactics to cover the real problem up.

Officials says refugees are taking advantage of the more lenient Arizona requirements.
Dozens Of Converted Arizona Driver’s Licenses Suspended In Mass, September 19, 2011, CBS Boston

Arizona's biggest newspaper played a similar blame game against foreigners when the real problem is caused by illegal aliens.

Arizona has become a magnet for foreigners who find it easier to get a driver's license here than in the states where they live. It's a development that is raising public-safety and national-security concerns.

Arizona has more permissive rules than any other state governing who can get a license, how they can get it and how long the license is valid before it expires. Hundreds of people come to Arizona from stricter states seeking driving credentials.
Arizona's lax driver-test rules lure foreigners, Arizona Republic, Sept. 24, 2011

 

Gov. Patrick made a logical error that is common among those who support open borders — they blur the distinction between legal and illegal aliens. In this case the media and the governor come across as xenophobic reactionaries by lumping all foreigners (both legal and illegal) into one category and then stigmatizing them for the behavior of just a few. 

While the Governor seems to ignore his own illegal alien problem he doesn't hesitate to heaping scorn on Arizona because of its attempts to enforce immigration laws (which would have had the effect of making it much more difficult for illegals to get driver's licenses). This is what he said a little over a year ago when he joined the herd of hyenas who blasted Arizona for its tough on illegal immigration bill SB1070:

Governor Deval Patrick yesterday blasted Arizona’s new immigration law, accused his gubernatorial opponents of grandstanding on the issue, and said supporters of such crackdowns were “trying to invent a villain for political purposes.’’
Patrick blasts immigration crackdowns, By Michael Levenson, Globe, May 12, 2010

 

So, does Gov. Patrick have a valid complaint that Arizona makes it far too easy for aliens to get driver's licenses?

In Arizona, all that an alien has to do to obtain a valid Arizona driver's license is to show an international driver's permit issued by whatever country they claim to be from. Citizenship or immigration status is irrelevant — and they aren't even required to have English proficiency. Once an illegal alien obtains an Arizona license they can usually go to almost any other state to get a new one issued.

Allowing international driver's permits in Arizona provides illegal aliens a simple procedure to infiltrate the public system. Arizona and states with similar policies are acting as a conduit for the flow to other states.

Arizona has become a magnet for foreigners who find it's an easier place to get a driver's license than in the states where they live, and authorities say that's raising public-safety and national-security concerns.

Arizona has more permissive rules than any other state governing who can get a license, how they can get it and how long the license is valid before it expires. Hundreds of people come to Arizona from stricter states seeking driving credentials.

Arizona's lax driver-test rules lure foreigners, Houston Chronicle, September 24, 2011

 In conclusion Gov. Patrick is correct about Arizona's lack of control over alien driver licenses, but that doesn't explain why his administration continues to allow them to drive in his state. This excerpt from the Massachusetts rules manual explains their own policy, which is just as bad as Arizona. All an alien has to have to drive in Massachusetts is a driver's license from another country — citizenship or competence doesn't seem to matter!

If you are a visitor from another country, you may drive private passenger vehicles in Massachusetts for up to one year from your date of arrival in the United States provided you have a valid driver's license issued by your home country and your country is recognized under one of the conventions listed in Appendix A or the Registrar has specifically granted driving privileges to residents of your country as detailed in Appendix A. An International Driver's Permit is not required, but the permit may help provide an English translation of your foreign license.
Obtaining Your License, Mass. State Gov. RMV Manual

Massachusetts Dept. of Motor Vehicles has a policy of requiring at least four documents that could serve to eliminate the possibility that illegal aliens can obtain bogus driver's licenses — no matter what state they migrate from. The policy is meaningless however if they issue licenses to aliens who come from countries such as Mexico or Pakistan, or any other country who issues licenses to anyone who can pay for them.

Considering that many people in Massachusetts are downright angry about the tragic deaths that are happening on their own roads, why would Gov. Patrick gamble by blaming Arizona for the reckless behavior of his own Dept. of Motor Vehicles? If he gets caught he will look very foolish — especially from families in that state who suffered the loss of a loved one.  

Gov. Patrick must know that the mainstream media in that state will go along with his lie and therefore they are very unlikely to expose the real political chicanery involved. The risk of looking like a self-serving, hypocritical politician is very low because Patrick has the media under his thumb. 

Bottom line is this: Massachusetts has to approve the driver's license from Arizona and every other state, so it's obvious that they are ignoring their own policies and procedures.  The buck for this fiasco stops at the Guv's desk, but instead of accepting responsibility, he is content to blame Arizona.