New York Democrats are gearing up to give undocumented immigrants legal rights and billions of dollars in public funds if the party wins control of the state Senate in November.
According to the
New York Post, the legislation would offer Medicaid coverage, college tuition, driver's licenses, voting rights, and the ability to run for office, among other advantages, by offering amnesty to nearly three million illegal immigrants in New York state.
"This bill could pass if the Democrats are in charge of the Senate. They're out of their minds," GOP state Sen. Marty Golden told the Post. "This is astounding. This undermines our nation's immigration laws and procedures."
The bill would also give undocumented immigrants the right to apply for professional licenses and serve on juries. It would prevent police from releasing any information about them to federal authorities unless it involves a criminal warrant unrelated to their immigration status.
Republican Party officials insist the legislation, which has the support of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, would make the state vulnerable to voter fraud while increasing the risk of terrorism, according to the Post.
Supporters, however, say that the legislation would benefit only those immigrants who have been thriving, and have lived in New York and paid taxes for at least three years.
"It's something I believe in," Democratic state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, the sponsor of the bill, told the Post. "It's something the state can do and should do."