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Martha Coakley on Immigration
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Opposed Real ID law; it just creates a market for fake IDs
Charlie Baker scolded Gov. Deval Patrick's administration for failing to meet a July deadline to follow the law, known as Real ID. The state is one of nine that have not received an extension or complied with security updates, such as verifying
citizenship, when issuing driver's licenses. Baker also took aim at a Democratic rival, Attorney General Martha Coakley, who previously opposed the 2005 law on the grounds it would fail to increase safety, and would cost billions of dollars and boost the
market for fake IDs. "I don't know why the attorney general doesn't support this," said Baker, who has pushed the state on the issue before. "I don't know why it's not common sense to say we should participate." A spokesman said Coakley accepts Real ID
now that it has gone into effect. "The federal government has chosen to move forward with this law, and she believes Massachusetts should work to implement it so that people maintain access to federal facilities." (Boston Globe, 8/26/2014)
Source: Mass IEPAC: Research Profile on Charlie Baker, p.226
, Sep 1, 2014
Opposed services for illegal immigrants; now supports them
The five Democrats running for governor jousted over illegal immigration during a debate that also reflected broader philosophical agreements on many issues facing the candidates. Attorney General Martha Coakley faced several barbs from her rivals
over her previous opposition to driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants and her office's decision to disqualify a potential ballot question that would repeal the state's casino law.All five Democrats said they supported Somerville Mayor
Joseph Curtatone's recent decision to sign an executive order limiting the city's cooperation with the Secure Communities program, which partners local police with federal authorities to hold undocumented immigrants for possible deportation. Coakley
said the program was designed to help federal authorities remove threats to public safety from communities. "We know it's gone far too far," she said, by targeting many undocumented immigrants with no criminal background.
Source: WWLP 22-News on 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial debate
, Jun 10, 2014
End purgatorial status quo with penalties then citizenship
Immigration policy needs to be resolved on a federal level, and the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants need "a path to citizenship," Coakley said yesterday. "We need a policy that makes sense for 12 million people who are stuck in a
purgatorial status quo," said Coakley. "It doesn't do us any good to do nothing."A distinction should be made between hardened criminals here illegally and those whose only crime is immigrating without going through proper channels, she said, though,
"I think there have to be some penalties involved" for those who have broken the law in coming into the country illegally.
Violent criminals and drug dealers should be deported, but the federal government "doesn't have the ability to deport" every
person in this country who is here illegally, she said. "As attorney general, I have gone after the companies that have exploited workers," and getting employers to pay fair wages helps American citizens compete in the marketplace as well, she said.
Source: Julia Spitz in MetroWest Daily News
, Nov 25, 2009
Page last updated: Jul 20, 2017