The state Division of Motor Vehicles has stopped decorating driver’s licenses with a silvery hologram that was designed as a nationwide security tool — and derided as the symbol of an anti-American plot.
The foil stamp features the shimmering images of an automobile and a globe centered on North America. It appears on the flip side of 4.6 million licenses issued since December 2006.
It was conceived by a national group of motor vehicle officials for possible use as a tool to mark the authenticity of licenses issued in each state. North Carolina was the only state to use it, in what DMV calls a pilot program.
U.S. homeland security officials decided not to take the hologram nationwide, so North Carolina stopped putting it on new licenses this week. The two-year experiment cost the state $1.5 million.
“What this hologram was supposed to do was to show that this was an official document of a state DMV,” said DMV spokeswoman Marge Howell. “That was the idea in the first place, to put them on all licenses across the country to help law enforcement officers readily identify them.”
That's the official version, anyway.
The hologram became controversial last year when it was linked with a purported scheme to erase national borders, flood the land with illegal immigrants and create something critics call a North American Union.
William Gheen of Raleigh, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, said the DMV hologram resembled the logo of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. He said the group promotes a speedier flow of goods and people across the continent.
Gheen also objected to the DMV hologram as part of the nation’s “Real ID” effort — a security program that includes digital face recognition and other identification technology.
“We believe illegal immigration can be reversed without subjecting law-abiding Americans to this kind of Big Brother ID tracking,” Gheen said. “We’re pleased to see this potential tracking device removed from the licenses. We hope to see North Carolina withdraw from the Real ID program."
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter, editor and blogger since 1976, he took over the
Comments
Thanks for staying awake
Thu, 10/23/2008 - 13:14 — Anonymous (not verified)Thank you Mr. Gheen for sounding the alarm on this. In my area, illegals are definitely self-deporting due to enforcement pressure.
Thank You Mr Gheen
Thu, 10/23/2008 - 12:05 — No Nantional ID Card (not verified)We do not need to track and monitor law abiding Americans like we live in some Communist nation. We need to enforce our immigration laws and that includes fining and jailing employers who hire illegals.
The Real ID has nothing to do with Security. Michael Chertoff recently said in a speech given at the Los Angeles University of Southern California National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events, was not a foolproof plan to stop sophisticated terrorists and criminals. Chertoff said, “but while this has done something to deal with the issue of forgery and counterfeiting, it's certainly not a complete solution because time and again, I certainly have seen intelligence that tells me that sophisticated criminals and sophisticated terrorists spend a great deal of time learning to fabricate and forge even these improved cards. The net effect of this may be that it's going to be harder for people on campus here to get a drink when they're under 21, but unfortunately it's not going to be that much harder for the most sophisticated dangerous people to counterfeit an identity card.”
http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/speeches/sp_1219162986509.shtm
A new ID card that allows the storing of our personal documents that cannot
be well protected because there is no such thing as a secure database and may
only be reliable enough to stop those under 21 from obtaining alcohol is
idiotic and irresponsible.
That does not make me feel confident in providing my birth certificate and
biometric information for the State of NC to hold onto or DHS. Including the
fact that DHS reported that they themselves last year had their systems compromised
over 850 times in a two year period.
If they cannot keep their data secure, how are they going to keep ours? This
whole id scheme is a waste of our precious tax dollars, is putting our private information
at risk and is a violation of the first, fifth and tenth amendments of our US Constitution.
Those in NC who want to help stop the Real ID should visit www.ncard.info
"William Gheen of Raleigh,
Wed, 10/22/2008 - 15:32 — Cowboyup (not verified)"William Gheen of Raleigh, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, said the DMV hologram resembled the logo of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. He said the group promotes a speedier flow of goods and people across the continent. "
And Mr. Gheen was 100% accurate, need proof? Just take a look at States Like AZ and OK. Illegal aliens are self deporting because of workplace enforcement. This is what works not some gimmicky costly program only an elitist politician with no common sense could create. Why should American Citizens give up more of our freedom for the sake of illegal aliens... Haven't we given enough already?
I am glad that William Gheen
Wed, 10/22/2008 - 10:14 — Sandy (not verified)I am glad that William Gheen and others are informing all of us on the dangers of the real ID. It seems we have a run away government now that is not listening to the people. Time for people to stand and shout no on the real ID and illegal immigration!IF laws are enforced the illegals will self deport!