A proposal for a limited ‘immigrant driver permit’ that could allow hundreds of thousands of drivers facing licensing suspension to drive legally is being reviewed by the New York department of Motor Vehicles, The New York Times reported.

While the proposal comes from Fernando Mateo, a businessman with ties to the Republican Party, leaders of other advocacy groups have opposed it saying it could lead to more deportations.

Mateo, who is the president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers as well as of the Hispanics Across America, described the permit as a compromise, which would not be valid for identification, would expire every year and would be given to only those who surrender their current license. Critics of the proposal said the proposal is like the two-tier licensing system introduced in Tennessee. Gouri Sandhwani, executive director of the New York Civic Participation Project, was quoted as saying such a permit would, in effect, identify the bearer as an immigrant without legal status, exposing them to arrest and deportation. “This is not a solution,” she said. State officials said they had already suspended 1,700 driving licenses and almost 300,000 more could face suspension because their Social security number could not be verified.

Meanwhile, the New York Coalition for Immigrants ‘Rights to Drivers’ Licenses has welcomed Mateo’s proposal. At the same time it said they were concerned the two-tier system could lead to greater discrimination.

(Compiled from news dispatches by M. Chooki)