A Tale of Two States

by Ira Mehlman

Arizona and New Mexico have a lot in common: They occupy a vast stretches of desert in the American southwest; they are almost identical in area; they both were admitted to the union 98 years ago, just 39 days apart and; they share a long border with Mexico, which puts them on the front lines of the illegal immigration crisis.

But, when it comes to dealing with illegal immigration, they could not be more dissimilar. Arizona has led the way in efforts to discourage illegal aliens from remaining in the state, while New Mexico is perhaps the most welcoming state for illegal aliens. According to NPR, many illegal aliens are acting rationally and leaving Arizona for New Mexico. New Mexico, which issues driver's licenses to people presenting Mexican matricula consular cards, has experienced surge in new licenses without proof of legal U.S. residence. So far this year, about 11,000 new licenses have been issued to matricula card holders. Utah and Washington, the other two states that do not require proof of legal residence, have seen similar surges.

The impact is being felt not just at the Motor Vehicle Department. New Mexico school districts have experienced "unexpected" influx of new students, many arriving from Arizona. According to new data released by FAIR, New Mexico taxpayers already spend about $415 million to educate the children of illegal aliens ($608 million on all services for illegal aliens) and that figure is likely to grow, even as the state faces a $230 million projected budget shortfall next year.

New Mexicans' patience with policies that invite illegal immigration may be coming to an end. Both candidates in this year's gubernatorial race have vowed to end the practice of granting licenses to illegal aliens.