Sheriff Hodgson Testifies Against Bill Offering Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

Should illegal immigrants be able to obtain a Massachusetts driver's license? The State Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation is considering just that, and Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson says "no."

Hodgson says the proposal bends the rules for those that already broke them, and disrespects those who are waiting to come into the United States legally. "What does it say to them? Shame on you for waiting in line. You should have just come on in and violated the laws, disrespected the laws of the United States, because when you get here we're basically going to manipulate even more laws so you can have the accomodations and the benefits that the American people get by following the laws that are in place that are supposed to protect them," said Hodgson.

The bill would allow registrars to grant licenses regardless of an individual's citizenship status.

Hodgson says if lawmakers want to make our communities safer, hold people accountable for violating the law rather than looking for ways to excuse them.