Most New York voters oppose a proposal to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, according to a new Siena College poll released Monday.
The survey of 700 registered voters found 61 percent oppose allowing undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses. While liberals strongly support the plan and other demographic groups, such as blacks and Latinos, favor it, there is strong opposition to the proposal.
"Overwhelmingly, Republicans and independents, upstaters and downstate suburbanites oppose allowing undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses," Siena pollster Steve Greenberg said.
The poll result is reminiscent of the public opposition to allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses when former Gov. Eliot Spitzer raised the possibility during his brief tenure more than a decade ago.
At the time, county clerks across the state led the opposition to Spitzer's plan. The opponents included Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was the Erie County clerk when Spitzer released his proposal.
Hochul revealed last year that she now supports allowing undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses.
With Democrats now controlling both houses of the state Legislature, there has been a renewed call for the state to address the matter.
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