Milwaukee Mayor To Keep Current Practice To Provide Licenses To Business Applicants

More than 2,000 people marched for immigration reform, state driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants, and to protest the proposed City of Milwaukee citizenship requirement for professional or commercial licenses or permits

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 10, 2009

Milwaukee - Immigration reform march organizers released a statement from Mayor Tom Barrett during a rally held at Mitchell Park earlier today saying the mayor will keep the current practice to provide professional licenses to applicants. Mayor Barrett on Friday wrote, "The regulation of immigration is exclusively a federal power, and the City of Milwaukee is not the appropriate jurisdiction to enforce the 1996 law enacted by the federal government. The City currently provides licensing services that support business operations, are efficient and provide adequate protections for the public. It is my intention that these services will continue to be provided to the public in the future as they are today." Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera read Barrett's statement to those attending Saturday's rally.

Rally participants cheered and celebrated Barrett's decision to keep Milwaukee from supporting anti-immigrant policies that would create division among Milwaukeans. More than 2,000 people marched for immigration reform, state driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants, and to protest the proposed City of Milwaukee citizenship requirement for professional or commercial licenses or permits. March organizers are currently collecting signatures from voters in State Senator Tim Carpenter's district in support of driver's cards (licenses) for undocumented immigrants.

On September 29, the Licenses Committee members unanimously decided to postponed a proposed ordinance (090411) that would require proof of U.S. citizenship and legal alien status to obtain a professional or commercial licenses or permits in the City of Milwaukee. The ordinance would have required new applicants and those applying for renewal to prove their legal status in the country. City Attorney Grant F. Langley proposed the citizenship ordinance to comply with the U.S. Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
Ald. Tony Zielinski moved for the proposed ordinance to be placed on hold to give various community groups, and constituents more time to review the proposal and to comment on it. The committee agreed and voted to postpone the measure.

Milw., WI: Legistar posted video on line of Licenses Committee Sept. 29 hearing of citizenship ordinance 090411 requiring legal status in the country for issuance of professional or commercial licenses or permits, click the following link and then on video http://bit.ly/YywZO